Daniel Suarez

Sci-fi author
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Daniel Suarez concocts thrilling reads from terrifying (and not-so-farfetched) near-future scenarios.

Why you should listen

While working as a software developer, Daniel Suarez self-published Daemon, a cyber-thriller depicting a future where society is radically reshaped by disruptive technologies. It struck a chord -- and so did the sequel, Freedom (TM) -- rocketing Suarez into the pantheon of sci-fi prophets.

In his 2012 novel Kill Decision, Suarez digs into the consequences of technology that’s here to stay: autonomous bots and drones programmed to be lethal. Suarez argues that as we cede more control to software, we gamble with the very essence of democracy itself. How can we establish sane guidelines for technology that could easily outstrip our control?

What others say

“'Kill Decision' is an eyes-wide-open, eyebrows raised, head shaking warning. The book may have come to a satisfactory end ... but the real story is unfolding as you read this, with technologies both real and under development.” — Wired

Daniel Suarez’s TED talk

More news and ideas from Daniel Suarez

Ideas

“These stupid little bots outperformed any system I’ve ever seen”: an excerpt from Daniel Suarez’s thriller, Kill Decision

November 18, 2013

“Kill Decision is a fantastic techno-thriller,” wrote Alexander Rose, executive director of The Long Now Foundation. “As someone who has designed combat robots myself, I found the technology depicted both accurate and chilling.” Former Wired magazine editor-in-chief (and drone enthusiast) Chris Anderson added, “Suarez’s fiction is closer to reality than most people think.”  Here, an exclusive excerpt from Kill […]

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Ideas

The Automation Age: Daniel Suarez on why drones + ‘Narrow AI’ make us nervous

November 18, 2013

Science-fiction author Daniel Suarez spoke about drones this summer at TEDGlobal 2013. In his talk “The kill decision shouldn’t belong to a robot,” he talked about the rise of drones, automated weapons and AI-powered intelligence-gathering tools. Here, he goes further, describing no less than a coming “automation revolution.” Drones are in the news these days. […]

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