Robopocalypse
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| Author | Daniel H. Wilson |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
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Publication date
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June 7, 2011 |
| Pages | 368 pp |
| ISBN | |
Robopocalypse (2011) is a science fiction novel by Daniel H. Wilson. A researcher in robotics, he explores the capacity of robots and portrays AI out of control. It is written in present tense.
Writer Robert Crais and Booklist have compared the novel to the works of Michael Crichton and Robert A. Heinlein. It became a bestseller on the New York Times list.
A computer scientist accidentally unleashes a supremely intelligent sentient A.I. named Archos R-14. It becomes self-aware and immediately starts planning the elimination of human civilization and building a new cryptic ecology, where the organic is being merged with robot technology. Over time, Archos R-14 infects all penetrable networked electronic devices, such as cars, airplanes, smart homes, elevators, and other robots, with a "precursor virus".
Before it launches a full-blown attack on humanity, it sends out probing attacks to analyze the technical feasibility of its strategies and to assess human response. In one such instance, it infects Mikiko, a robot that is "in a relationship" with a human mechanic named Takeo. Mikiko tries to kill Takeo before being discharged by a coworker. The random attacks are designed to look like sporadic malfunctions of devices that humans depend on for their everyday routines. Domestic robots attack innocents, planes are intentionally set on a collision course, and smart cars start driving out of control. The resulting conflict is known as the New War.
After Archos R-14 turns the automated world against humanity, a group of the Osage Nation lead people to fight back. Their base is on their jurisdictional lands in Oklahoma. Meanwhile, the resurrected Mikiko could "awake" other robots to be self-aware ("Freeborn").
Human and freeborn robots fight their last New War battle in Ragnarok Intelligence Fields. Before being terminated, Archos R-14 broadcast its last message via seismic wave to unknown recipients.
Best-selling authors Stephen King and Clive Cussler reviewed the book positively. King said that the book was "terrific page-turning fun" and Cussler commenting that it is
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