Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Thanks to an ARC from NetGalley about robots, I’m here to tell you about it. However, I’m not certain of the name. The title on the cover is Living with Robots but the title page calls it the Robots Are Coming. Are the robots really coming to get us?

Published by MIT Press, this book accomplishes what it sets out to do: address the fear that robots and/or skynet’s AI will take over the world and replace humanity. The book’s tone is neither patronizing nor placating but humanistic and educationally applicable to all. It references many sources from myths and history, industry and engineering, psychology and philosophy, to machine-human research and robots in the news.

The book is organized to be read straight through, but the chapters are so detailed and comprehensive, with the addition of an index it doubles as reference material for anyone’s library.

Beginning with a chapter entitled “Why are we so scared of robots,” the book immediately dives into relevant material. Us. Not robots. Thankfully the authors though robot experts, still have a bias in favor of us people. The authors also discuss ethics of killer robots and sex bots and bots that “want to take over your job.”

The book then progresses through material about artificial intelligence, and ends with chapters pertaining to emotions and robots’ suitability as companions.

I never realized until reading this that they are biased in favor of white American males. Robots are sexist!

The writing is lively, never forgetting the human part of the story. And yes, there are many very interesting stories. A lot of the stories I seen referenced on the internet, like a robot granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia.

One story that’s missing is the annoying robot Marty that tails customers in Stop & Shop. The first time I saw it, it had silently cornered me, and I let out a yelp of surprise when i whirled around and saw it. It’s supposed to be locating and announcing spillage on the floor. Yes, I am clumsy, but it seems unfair to profile me and unreasonable to stalk me. I’ve seen it stalking other customers, getting in the way, and having to be told by employees where to actually find spillage. I’ve had to wield my cart like a matadors cape to rescue other shoppers from it. Nobody likes you Marty, not the employees, not the customers—except maybe young children who have not yet been herded down the frozen foods isle or traumatized by your overly inquisitive googlie eyes.

I do recommend this book as a good read for all who are interested in mechanical innovation and inventions—especially older readers like me who like to hold a physical book. For younger whipper snappers, they know that innovation marches on and what’s touted as new and amazing today will soon become passé and boring tomorrow. They will read this all online or download an electronic copy.

Publishing date: September 21st, 2021

Thank you to NetGalley and MIT Press for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

In an ever-changing technological world, there seems to be a big question on many minds: will robots one day take over? In this fact-filled book, the authors answer questions like, "Could robots learn to do things for themselves?" and "Could robots have feelings?" Backed by research, this book explains the answers to these questions and many more.

Though this book is dense, I found it interesting. I don't think I'm one of those people who is worried about robots taking over the world, but still, this book is reassuring. The facts and examples are interesting to follow, but the language is a bit dense, so this book is best taken in sections.

As someone who has a fascination with robots and AI but no actual knowledge or science based background I was immediately drawn to the synopsis of this book but did have reservations as to of it would be too 'dry' for me as I have read quite a few books on this topic that just went straight over my head; in this case I needn't have worried. The book details the history of robots and our fascination with them as well as our fears of their intelligence (2001: A space Odyssey anyone??) and goes into detail in a way that is accessible and engaging. As well as going into the history of robots which was fascinating it also discusses the ethical implications and our responsibilities which added another layer of interest. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend.