Singularity and intelligence explosion in William Hertling's A.I. Apocalypse

Abstract

William Hertling's A.I. Apocalypse (2012) is a post-apocalyptic novel about vulnerability of modern technological life against superintelligence. The novel shows living in an A.I-controlled society behind a revolution or revolt by self-controlling machines. A personified computer virus infects all the world's computers. As a result, it leads to disruption in main factors of human life - billions of people are about to die. A novel in which, Hertling warns of dehumanization under the shadow of superintelligence to challenge our minds to ponder about such a future. This study attempts to demonstrate that Hertling criticizes singularity and intelligence explosion in which mankind are entrapped in A.I-controlled society. It also investigates probable bilateral relation between dehumanization and intelligence explosion.