Daniel H. Wilson: We Can’t Win Against Technology, We Are Technology!

Posted on: June 15, 2012 / Last Modified: November 6, 2021

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Daniel H. Wilson earned a Ph.D. in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University. He is the author of The New York Times best-selling science fiction novel Robopocalypse and a columnist and contributing editor for Popular Mechanics magazine. He has also written: How To Survive a Robot Uprising, How to Build a Robot Army, A Boy and His Bot and Where’s My Jetpack?.

Robopocalypse is not only one of Amazon’s top books for 2011 but, most notably, Steven Spielberg is directing a film based on the novel, scheduled for release in April of 2014.

Most recently Daniel published a book called Amped dealing with issues of human enhancement.

By now you will not be surprised that I was very happy to get Dr. Wilson on Singularity 1 on 1. During our discussion, we cover a wide variety of topics such as: being a scientist versus being a writer; making fun of Hollywood, then, going over to the dark side and becoming part of it; technological progress or lack thereof for the past 40 years; Robopocalypse – the book and the Spielberg movie; why superhuman AI will not be preoccupied with exterminating humanity; being a writer and telling a story that people can relate to; tips on writing visually powerful content; Robogenesis – the sequel to Robopocalypse; Amped and what happens when technology becomes part of our bodies; whether technology makes us more powerful or more vulnerable.

I have to say that I enjoyed talking to Daniel H. Wilson as much as I enjoy his books. Hope you do too.

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Amped by Daniel H. Wilson and narrated by Robbie Daymond

Technology makes them superhuman. But mere mortals want them kept in their place. Enter a stunning world where technology and humanity clash in terrifying and surprising ways.

Some people are implanted with upgrades that make them capable of superhuman feats. The powerful technology has profound consequences for society, and soon a set of laws is passed that restricts the abilities – and rights – of ‘amplified’ humans.

On the day that the Supreme Court passes the first of these laws, 29-year-old Owen Gray discovers that his seizure-supressing medical implant is actually a powerful upgrade. Owen joins the ranks of a new persecuted underclass known as ‘amps’ and is forced to go on the run, desperate to reach an outpost in Oklahoma where, it is rumoured, a group of the most enhanced amps are about to change the world – or destroy it.

A Future With Superhumans

Superhumans with neural implants may belong to the realm of science fiction for now. But the day is fast approaching when technology offers us abilities beyond our wildest dreams (or darker than our worst nightmares). PhD in Robotics and NYTimes best selling author Daniel H. Wilson had a conversation with Epipheo to discuss the near future reality of brain implants that make us superhuman.