Ancient myths and sci-fi shaped today's AI, new book argues

Bradley told TechRadar the book's core argument is that humans have always been fascinated by creating thinking machines and artificial life. He recalled that when ChatGPT launched in 2022, social media was quickly full of jokes about Skynet coming online. That reaction, he said, showed how the way people understand and discuss new technology is filtered through stories told for centuries.

Vero said the book traces "the essence of where every element of AI or robo-futurism comes from: Myth." In Greek mythology, Hephaestus creates golden mechanical workers; in Jewish folklore, the Golem is a being animated to serve its creator. Bradley also pointed to Jonathan Swift's 18th-century "Gulliver's Travels," which features the Engine of Lagado, a device that combines random words to generate knowledge, an early literary ancestor he likens to modern generative AI.

The term "artificial intelligence" was coined in the 1950s by computer scientist John McCarthy, after which TV shows such as "The Twilight Zone" and "Star Trek" explored the possibilities of machines in homes and workplaces. Asked whether myths about conscious machines have influenced real AI, Vero replied: "Absolutely! Human life is all about dreaming up concepts to adore or fear; it’s how we roll." Bradley added that today's engineers grew up on "Star Wars," Isaac Asimov and William Gibson. He cited a 2022 study showing that 93 percent of UK astronomers enjoyed science fiction and 69 percent said it influenced their career, as evidence that such stories help shape the people who go on to build the future.

Bradley and Vero also shared personal favorites: Vero called herself a "Lawnmower Man" aficionado who has worked on the Transformers franchise; Bradley described R2-D2 as the most important character in "Star Wars." Their broader point, they said, is that human responses to AI still veer between extremes, captured in the phrase they use: "If we don't like it, we'll kill it. If we love it, we'll marry it."