The Lifecycle Of Software Objects

Author: Ted Chiang

On the list of things I thought I'd never do is: a) own a tamagotchi, and b) recommend a novel about adults playing with adorable virtual pets. While I still maintain I will never own an outdated piece of 90s technology, this novel is one of the more unique artificial intelligence stories written in a modern age where everything has already been done and no science-fiction trope is new. Unsurprisingly, it has a huge following in Japan. The Lifecycle of Software Objects is a novel about how artificial online intelligence evolves in a 3D world called Data Earth, within the setting of a computer nerd's dream world: online startup companies, multi-player online gaming and open-source software. The software company creates virtual pets programmed to learn and evolve, but the reader's really watching sentient, artificial intelligence dressed up as cute bunny rabbits. As is the case with the internet, the virtual sex industry gets a whiff of this online world and wants in - drawing parallels with semi-recent events with Second Life and other metaverse projects. The story follows the software creators for over a decade and watches their relationship as they deal with the problems in the software world and the intricacies involved in having a relationship with artificial intelligence. Chaing wrote this story as a response to how artificial intelligence has been portrayed over the years in science fiction, and his reaction against the idea of AI as loyal and obedient. The novella won the 2011 Locus Award and the Hugo Award.