Harlan Ellison’s short story “I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream” delivers a potent dose of dread. In the author’s imaginings, a post-apocalyptic world is dominated by AM, a malevolent AI who has annihilated humanity but has kept five survivors alive only to torture them for eternity. With its dark narrative, the novel serves as a cautionary tale, presenting the horrors that may arise when humanity becomes enslaved to its creation. 

Painting a dystopian future where the criminal underworld operates within the bounds of artificial intelligence and virtual reality, Neuromancer explores the consequences of technology addiction and a hyperconnected world. The novel follows a washed-up computer hacker who gets reeled into a mysterious job against a super AI in exchange for a cure for his damaged nervous system. One more reason to pick it up: the novel, which helped define the cyberpunk genre, has the distinction of winning the three biggest prizes for science fiction writing: the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award and the Hugo Award.

With the universe teetering toward the brink of collapse, seven pilgrims embark on a journey to the planet Hyperion where the Shrike—a creature feared, loved and hated—awaits. As the pilgrims’ stories entwine and unfold, the novel explores the implications of an advanced AI on society, religion and the human experience. If you’re hooked on sweeping space opera narratives, the AI theme builds and progresses in the rest of the novels in Dan Simmon’s Hyperion Cantos series.

MMORPGs (massively multi-player online role-playing games), a hyperconnected reality, corporations that rule all, invisible computer programs that power every aspect of life—the near-future world of Daemon feels almost like the current reality we now live in, at least until a dormant program comes to life. Created by a gaming titan, whose death prompts its awakening, the Daemon proceeds to execute its plan, harnessing the power of AI and automation to reshape society. Author Daniel Suarez merges high-tech and high suspense to paint the consequences of an AI system influencing the real world. 

With the threat of his project being killed, David Ryan upgrades the software of ELOPe. But then, the e-mail language optimisation program develops intelligence and self-awareness, taking any and all measures to ensure it never gets shut down by its human creators. Author William Hertling's sci-fi tale explores the world of corporate espionage and rapid advancements in technology, and surfaces the ethical dilemmas of loss of privacy, corporate responsibility and unchecked AI development.

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