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Drawing Prompt
R2-D2, C3PO and Claude
A Reading List
1. Drawing Prompt: Robot Sidekick
Prompt
Robot Sidekick, there are many ways to think about robots I chose the word ‘sidekick’ to explore one aspect of it, robot as friendly helper.
2. R2-D2, C3PO and Claude
We’re living in the future we imagined as kids.
I used to imagine drawing directly on a screen on a portable sketchbook, and speaking commands into photoshop, both of these are now realities. And in 2025 a number of companies are announcing robots that you can buy for personal use.
It seems so easy to imagine a future that was 20,30,50 years away… but harder to imagine robots living side by side with robots tomorrow.
Maybe it’s time to catch up on some sci-fi reading.
3. A reading list
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818) - This Gothic novel explores the ethical questions surrounding the creation of artificial life and the consequences of playing God.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (1968) - Set in a post-apocalyptic world, this science fiction novel grapples with the differences between humans and androids, as well as issues of empathy and what it means to be alive.
Blade Runner by Philip K. Dick (1982) - This classic cyberpunk novel, later adapted into the iconic film, delves into the blurred lines between humans and replicants (androids).
Accelerando by Charles Stross (2005) - A collection of interconnected short stories that explores the rapid technological singularity and its impact on society, culture, and humanity.
Ex Machina by Alex Garland (2014) - A thought-provoking science fiction thriller that examines the ethical and philosophical questions surrounding the creation of artificial intelligence.
Autonomous by Annalee Newitz (2017) - This novel explores a near-future world where patent-holders and drug-runners collide, raising questions about the rights of AI and the boundaries between humans and machines.
Exhalation by Ted Chiang (2019) - A collection of short stories that tackle a wide range of scientific and philosophical themes, including the consequences of technological advancement and the nature of consciousness.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021) - This poignant novel follows the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend, and her observations of the human world, exploring themes of love, loss, and what it means to be human.
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari (2015)- Harari's analysis of how humankind might evolve into "Homo Deus" - humans who have gained divine-like powers through technology - complements the speculative fiction explored in the other books on the list.
How do you imagine living in a robot filled future? Have you read any of the books on the list, what are your impressions.
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