Almost Human

The introduction of empathetic humanoid robots as companions leads to disastrous consequences for Sheila and Derek Boyd's marriage, and when Andie, a beauteous female robot, joins Boyd, the fall-out is catastrophic. Stella Mayfield, a camp agronomist, participates in the experiment and becomes worried about the rise of sophisticated AI in UK society. She questions whether human ingenuity has handed over control to a superior intelligence, creating beings who will succeed them at the top of the evolutionary tree.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2020
Publisher: Troubador Publishing

No human is perfect. But what if we were able to create machines that are like humans, only better, cleverer, more beautiful, more empathetic, and more rational? Where does that leave humans? In the lonely and isolated environment of a desert camp, Sheila and Derek Boyd's marriage is falling apart. As part of an experiment, Boyd's employer, the Universal Robotics Corporation, suggests the introduction of 'Hughie,' an empathetic humanoid robot, as a companion for Sheila. The result is disastrous. And when Andie, the beauteous female robot, joins Boyd as a companion, the fallout is catastrophic. Participating in the experiment, Camp agronomist Stella Mayfield tries to come to terms with what will become the new norm, but the more interaction she has with robots, the more worried she becomes, unlike fellow guinea pigs, HR manager Guy Trenhaile, and technician Hod. Seven years later, Stella finds sophisticated AI permeating all aspects of UK society, and a robot caring for her mother, and her fears return with greater force. The question hangs in the air. Has human ingenuity handed over control to a superior intelligence, creating beings who will succeed them at the top of the evolutionary tree?

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800462182