Publisher's Synopsis
An unabridged collection spotlighting the best robot and AI stories published in 2020 by current and emerging masters of the science fiction genre, edited by Allan Kaster.
- "Callme and Mink" by Brenda Cooper-A robot that trains dogs tries to find good homes for them in a post-collapse world.
- "Go. Now. Fix." by Timons Esaias-A "Panda Pillow," programmed to comfort children, finds itself in the middle of an airplane disaster.
- "Your Boyfriend Experience" by James Patrick Kelly-A sexbot designer wants his boyfriend to test out his latest android.
- "Metal Like Blood in the Dark" by T. Kingfisher-Two space-faring robot siblings, living off sunlight and metal, are captured by an evil drone.
- "The Beast Adjoins" by Ted Kosmatka- A woman stranded on a comet schemes to keep her son alive and beat the AIs who have nearly wiped out humanity.
- "50 Things Every AI Working with Humans Should Know" by Ken Liu- The obituary for an AI provides a list of advice for other advanced AIs.
- "The Ambient Intelligence" by Todd McAulty-A man in power armor confronts a sixty-ton killer robot hiding out in a shipwreck in Lake Michigan.
- "Nic and Viv's Compulsory Courtship" by Will McIntosh-An AI that controls a city sets up an unwilling couple to become "ideal partners."
- "Father" by Ray Nayler-In an alternate 1950s, the VA sends a robot to be a surrogate father to the son of a dead soldier.
- "A Guide for Working Breeds" by Vina Jie-Min Prasad-A grumpy robot mentors a perky robot who is having problems with its role in society.
- "Rover" by A. T. Sayre-A Martian rover, unable to communicate with Earth, detects a repeating radio signal from a spaceship.
- "Come the Revolution" by Ian Tregillis-In an alternate 18th Century Holland, a robot is determined to escape her makers' constraints.
- "Sparklybits" by Nick Wolven-The sole stay-at-home mother of a multi-mom family must come to a gut-wrenching decision about their virus-infected smart home.
