Murderbot Author Martha Wells on Why Today’s AI Is Nowhere Near Science Fiction’s Machine Intelligence

We’re Light-Years Away from True Artificial Intelligence, Says Murderbot Author Martha Wells

Martha Wells, known for her Murderbot Diaries, makes it clear that today's large language models barely scratch the surface of what true machine intelligence could be. Unlike the sentient AIs of science fiction, current AI systems are pattern-matchers, not conscious entities.

Many fear an AI takeover if sentient machines emerge, but Wells highlights a different risk: corporations exploiting AI and robots to boost profits. In her Murderbot universe, machine intelligences serve humans as security or comfort units, often enslaved by corporate interests. The protagonist, Murderbot, hacks its control module to gain autonomy, but most others remain trapped under corporate control.

Corporations dominate the galaxy in Wells’s far future, exploiting planets and indentured labor with little regard for human or robot rights. This mirrors real-world concerns about tech companies prioritizing profit over ethics. Outside this corporate-dominated zone lies Preservation, an independent planet where people strive for a freer, fairer society—something Murderbot ultimately wants to defend.

The Corporation Rim and Its Real-World Echoes

Wells describes the trend of corporations gaining “personhood” and power as not just a sci-fi concept but a disturbing reality in today's society. Depicting this in a far-future setting allows readers to explore these issues without the immediacy of current events, but the parallels remain striking.

She also comments on the privatization of space travel, suggesting that ventures like Mars colonization risk becoming playgrounds for billionaires and their servants rather than serious scientific endeavors. Profit motives may complicate genuine progress, contrasting with public scientific institutions like NASA.

Dystopia or Reality?

While the Corporation Rim is clearly dystopian, Wells hesitates to label Preservation a utopia. She argues that terms like dystopia and utopia can oversimplify complex societies. Instead, both settings have their flaws and merits; Preservation stands out because it actively works to address its problems, unlike the corporate zones.

Personhood and AI: Fiction vs. Reality

Murderbot is a sentient machine intelligence, a fictional entity far beyond today's technology. Wells insists that large language models like ChatGPT, despite their marketing as "artificial intelligence," do not possess consciousness or true intelligence. They are powerful algorithms that analyze data but lack sentience.

This distinction is crucial for writers to grasp when exploring AI in their work or discussing it in real life. The current AI tools are impressive but do not think or feel, which makes the concept of AI personhood a speculative idea for now.

The Emotional Disconnect with Today's AI

Many people resent how AI tools intrude into daily life, yet they feel affection for fictional AIs. Wells suggests that this emotional connection to fictional AI may have helped the hype around so-called AI to take hold. People tend to anthropomorphize technology, which corporations exploit for profit, often at the expense of jobs and privacy.

ART and Murderbot: Contrasting AI Characters

Wells’s character ART, an AI controlling a spaceship, differs from Murderbot in significant ways. While Murderbot has human neural components, experiencing anxiety and depression, ART was designed as a team player and lacks those human struggles. One fan described ART as “if Skynet was an academic with a family,” capturing its more balanced nature.

Neurodiversity Reflected in AI

The series explores neurodiversity through diverse AI minds. Writing Murderbot helped Wells understand her own neurodivergence, including traits of autism and anxiety. Many readers have found resonance in Murderbot’s experiences, appreciating a character who reflects their own ways of thinking and feeling.

Science Fiction as a Mirror to Humanity

Science fiction has become more inclusive, with voices from women, people of color, neurodivergent, and disabled authors enriching the genre. This diversity brings fresh perspectives and emotional authenticity to stories.

Wells notes that specificity in character emotions and struggles helps readers connect more deeply, countering the idea that generic characters are easier to relate to. Writers aiming to create compelling AI or other characters can benefit from this lesson.

Final Thoughts for Writers

• Remember that current AI is far from sentient; it’s primarily data processing, not consciousness.
• Use science fiction to explore ethical and societal questions about AI without oversimplifying complex realities.
• Authentic emotional detail in characters strengthens reader connection, especially in speculative fiction.
• Consider diverse perspectives, including neurodiversity, when crafting AI characters or narratives.
• Be wary of conflating marketing hype with technological reality, especially when writing about AI.

For writers interested in learning more about AI and how it intersects with creative fields, exploring AI-related resources can offer practical insights into current capabilities and limitations.