Ted Chiang, a science-fiction author of growing renown with long-lasting connections to Seattle’s tech community, doesn’t back away from such questions. What rights does a robot have? If our machines become intelligent in the science-fiction way, that’s likely to become a complicated question - and the humans who nurture those robots just might take their side. (Alan Berner Photo via Knopf Doubleday Publicity) Tired: It took me longer than usual to read the last few pages because I didn't want it to end.ĭisclosure: Subterranean Press provided a review copy of the book.The story of Ted Chiang’s life includes stints as a technical writer in the Seattle area and worldwide acclaim as a science-fiction writer. Wired: A masterful tale about artificial intelligence, obsolescence, parenting and responsibilities excellent illustrations and design. (Of course, I've still got a week-maybe I'll discover one more!) If you're at all curious about the possibilities and implications of artificial intelligence, or if you'd just like to see a beautifully-designed, thoughtfully-written science fiction tale, I highly recommend it. The Lifecycle of Software Objects is a tremendous book and a fantastic way to finish off a year of good reading for me. I really love the subtlety of the appearance, with very few markings and the grey-and-red palette.

As you read the book, each chapter is introduced with one of these maps indicating that the digients are gaining skills like Sensorimotor Skills and Speech, or Autonomy and Personal Development. However, the locations marked on each map are developmental stages, and the scale at the bottom is measured in months instead of miles. Each one depicts what looks like a portion of a city street map, with a dotted route marked on it. There are also some maps at the beginning of each chapter by Jacob McMurray. The digients in the book don't look like this, but the illustrations, sparsely scattered throughout the book, serve as a sort of shorthand to help you think about artificial intelligence that grows and matures.

What I liked about it was that his growing robot faces situations inspired by the digients in the book, but it isn't a literal depiction, either. He used a digital watercolor technique to depict human stages of development with a robot. The cover illustration and the baby robot at the top of this post were done by Christian Pierce. I also really loved the artwork throughout the book.

The lifecycle of software objects