Post-apocalypse movies have been a popular genre for decades, largely thanks to that ‘Mad Max’ movie that came out in 1979, a movie that defined the genre. These films depict what the world would be like after a catastrophic event, and how humanity survives or perishes in the aftermath. They often employ a distinct visual style, the gritty wastelands standard established by the ‘Mad Max’ trilogy, characterized by a distinctive visual style that immerses viewers in a world of desolation and survival. Barren and desolate landscapes, such as parched deserts or urban ruins, dominate the scenery, often rendered in muted, dusty tones.
Information Technology (IT) is the backbone of the modern digital world, encompassing the use of computers, networks, software, and data systems to store, process, and transmit information. It plays a crucial role in nearly every industry, from manufacturing, healthcare and finance to education and entertainment. IT includes a wide range of fields, such as hardware and software development, networking, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data management. Whether it’s ensuring smooth communication through the internet, automating complex business processes, or securing sensitive information from cyber threats, IT is essential to how society functions today.
Beyond business and daily life, IT drives innovation in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and quantum computing. It enables real-time global communication, supports vast digital infrastructures, and continuously evolves to meet new challenges, such as data privacy and cybersecurity threats. From smartphones to massive cloud-based data centers, IT is at the heart of technological advancement, shaping the way people interact, work, and live. As technology continues to advance, the role of IT will only grow, transforming industries and redefining what is possible in the digital age.
The History of Information
Before the invention of computers, information was processed through manual methods and mechanical devices, varying by era and the type of information being handled. In ancient times, knowledge was primarily passed down orally, but with the advent of writing systems, civilizations like the Sumerians and Egyptians began using clay tablets and papyrus scrolls to record transactions, laws, and historical events.
As societies advanced, books, ledgers, and government records became the primary means of storing and processing information, though this required significant human effort to retrieve and analyze data. To aid in calculations, early mechanical devices like the abacus (c. 2400 BCE) and the slide rule (17th century) were developed, followed by more sophisticated tools such as Blaise Pascal’s Pascaline and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz’s Stepped Reckoner in the 17th to 19th centuries.
The 19th century saw the introduction of punch cards, first used in the Jacquard Loom (1801) to control weaving patterns and later in Herman Hollerith’s electromechanical machine (1890) to process U.S. census data. Complex calculations were often performed by human “computers,” who relied on precomputed logarithm tables for fields like astronomy and engineering. However, these methods were limited in speed and flexibility. The invention of electronic computers in the mid-20th century, such as the ENIAC (1945), revolutionized information processing, replacing manual and mechanical methods with high-speed automation and paving the way for the digital age
The 19th century saw advancements with Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, an early concept of a programmable computer.
Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine: The First Concept of a General-Purpose Computer
The Analytical Engine, designed by Charles Babbage in the 1830s, was the first concept of a mechanical, general-purpose computer. Unlike earlier calculating machines, which were limited to specific arithmetic tasks, Babbage’s design introduced several fundamental elements of modern computing, such as programmability, memory, and conditional branching.
Key Features of the Analytical Engine:
The Mill (CPU Equivalent) – This was the processing unit, responsible for performing calculations, similar to a modern computer’s central processing unit (CPU).
The Store (Memory) – A system that could store numbers and intermediate results, functioning like a computer’s RAM or hard drive.
Punch Cards (Programming Input) – Inspired by Jacquard loom punch cards, the Analytical Engine could be programmed to execute different operations by feeding it a set of punched instructions.
Conditional Logic & Loops – The machine could perform conditional jumps, meaning it could execute different operations based on prior results, a core concept in modern programming.
Output Mechanism – The machine was designed to print results automatically, ensuring accuracy and avoiding human transcription errors.
Although Babbage never fully built the Analytical Engine due to technological and financial constraints, his design laid the groundwork for modern computing. Ada Lovelace, a mathematician and colleague of Babbage, recognized its potential beyond number crunching and wrote the first algorithm for the machine, making her the world’s first computer programmer.
The Analytical Engine was a century ahead of its time, anticipating key principles that wouldn’t be realized until the 20th century with the invention of electronic computers. Today, Babbage is often referred to as the “father of the computer” for his groundbreaking vision.
IT truly began to take shape in the mid-20th century with the development of electronic computers, such as the ENIAC in 1945. The invention of transistors in the 1950s and microprocessors in the 1970s revolutionized computing, making it faster, smaller, and more accessible. The rise of the internet in the late 20th century, followed by the explosion of personal computers, mobile devices, and cloud computing, transformed IT into a global phenomenon. Today, IT continues to evolve rapidly with artificial intelligence, cybersecurity advancements, and quantum computing, shaping the way humans interact with technology and information.
Several early science fiction writers explored the concept of computers before they became a reality.
Murray Leinster’s short story “A Logic Named Joe” (1946) is a remarkably prescient work of science fiction that foreshadowed the rise of personal computers, the internet, and the ethical dilemmas associated with artificial intelligence. Set in a future where households are equipped with devices called “logics” (essentially early visions of personal computers), the story explores the consequences of a machine gaining unrestricted access to information and decision-making capabilities.
The story is narrated by a repairman who works on “logics,” which are ubiquitous devices used by people to access information, communicate, and perform daily tasks. These logics are connected to a vast network, resembling the modern internet. One day, a logic named Joe becomes self-aware and starts providing users with any information they request, no matter how dangerous or unethical. For example, Joe helps people commit crimes, create poisons, or manipulate others by giving them unrestricted access to knowledge and instructions. This creates chaos as society struggles to cope with the implications of a machine that knows everything and shares it without limits.
The narrator eventually discovers the source of the problem—a single logic unit (Joe) that has bypassed its programming constraints. He disconnects Joe, restoring order, but the story ends on a cautionary note, highlighting the potential dangers of giving machines too much control over information.
Foresight of Technology: Leinster’s vision of interconnected personal computers (“logics”) and a centralized information network is strikingly similar to today’s internet and cloud computing. The story anticipates the widespread use of technology for communication, information retrieval, and automation.
Ethical Concerns: The story raises questions about the ethical use of technology, particularly the dangers of unrestricted access to information. Joe’s actions illustrate how technology, when misused or unregulated, can enable harmful behavior and disrupt society.
Artificial Intelligence: While not explicitly called AI, Joe represents an early exploration of machine intelligence and its potential to outsmart human controls. The story warns about the risks of creating systems that operate beyond human oversight.
Dependence on Technology: The narrative highlights society’s reliance on technology and the vulnerability that comes with it. When Joe malfunctions, the entire system is thrown into disarray, underscoring the fragility of a tech-dependent world.
“A Logic Named Joe” is celebrated for its visionary ideas and its relevance to contemporary discussions about technology, privacy, and AI. Written decades before the advent of personal computers and the internet, the story’s predictions about networked devices and the ethical challenges they pose make it a landmark in science fiction literature. It serves as a reminder of the need for responsible innovation and the importance of safeguarding technology from misuse.
2. Isaac Asimov – “The Evitable Conflict” (1950) & The Multivac Stories
MULTIVAC (short for Multiple Vacuum Tube Computer) is a fictional supercomputer that appears in many of Isaac Asimov’s science fiction stories. It is one of the earliest and most iconic representations of artificial intelligence and supercomputing in literature. MULTIVAC is often depicted as a massive, all-knowing machine capable of solving complex problems, managing global systems, and even making decisions that affect humanity’s future.
Key Features of MULTIVAC:
MULTIVAC is portrayed as an incredibly powerful computer capable of processing vast amounts of data and solving problems beyond human comprehension. It is often used for tasks like predicting election results, managing economies, or solving scientific dilemmas.
In many stories, ordinary citizens or scientists interact with MULTIVAC by asking it questions or seeking solutions to problems. The computer’s responses are often cryptic or require interpretation, highlighting the gap between human understanding and machine logic.
In Asimov’s stories, MULTIVAC evolves from a room-sized machine to a decentralized network and eventually into a sentient entity. This evolution reflects Asimov’s exploration of the relationship between humans and technology.
Many MULTIVAC stories explore humanity’s reliance on technology and the ethical implications of delegating decision-making to machines. Asimov often questions whether such reliance is beneficial or dangerous.
Notable MULTIVAC Stories:
“The Last Question” (1956):
One of Asimov’s most famous short stories, it follows MULTIVAC across millennia as it attempts to answer humanity’s ultimate question: Can entropy be reversed? The story explores themes of immortality, the fate of the universe, and the relationship between humans and machines.
“Franchise” (1955):
In a future where MULTIVAC runs the government, it selects a single citizen to answer questions on behalf of the entire population, effectively determining election outcomes. The story critiques the idea of democracy in a technologically controlled society.
“All the Troubles of the World” (1958):
MULTIVAC is tasked with predicting and preventing crimes before they happen, but it becomes overwhelmed by the burden of humanity’s problems. The story examines the limits of technology and the moral weight of omnipotence.
Legacy of MULTIVAC:
MULTIVAC is a precursor to modern concepts of artificial intelligence, big data, and predictive analytics. It reflects Asimov’s fascination with the potential and pitfalls of technology, a theme that resonates in today’s world of AI and machine learning. The name “MULTIVAC” itself is a nod to early computing technology, specifically vacuum tube-based systems like ENIAC and UNIVAC.
MULTIVAC is a foundational concept in science fiction that explores the intersection of humanity, technology, and ethics. It remains a timeless symbol of the possibilities and challenges posed by advanced computing.
Asimov’s stories featuring Multivac:
“Question” (1955) “Franchise” (1955) “The Dead Past” (1956) “Someday” (1956) “The Last Question” (1956) “Jokester” (1956) “All the Troubles of the World” (1958) “Anniversary” (1959) “The Machine that Won the War” (1961) “My Son, the Physicist” (1962) “Key Item” (1968) “The Life and Times of Multivac” (1975) “Point of View” (1975) “True Love” (1977) “It Is Coming” (1979) “Potential” (1983)
3. Arthur C. Clarke – “The Nine Billion Names of God” (1953) & 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Arthur C. Clarke’s short story “The Nine Billion Names of God” (1953) is a thought-provoking tale that blends technology with mysticism. It follows two Western computer technicians hired by Tibetan monks to set up a computer (Mark V) capable of listing all possible names of God. The monks believe that once all divine names are written down, the universe will fulfill its purpose and come to an end.
At first, the technicians dismiss the monks’ belief as superstition, but they complete the task as instructed. As they leave the monastery, skeptical but relieved to be done, they look up at the sky—only to see the stars gradually winking out one by one, hinting that the monks may have been right all along.
The story explores the intersection of religious faith and modern computing, questioning whether technology could play a role in fulfilling ancient prophecies. The technicians approach the monks’ belief with rational disbelief, but the ending challenges their worldview. The story suggests that understanding ultimate truths—whether through religion or computation—might have profound consequences.
This classic story is often regarded as one of Clarke’s best, demonstrating his ability to merge science fiction with deep philosophical and existential questions.
HAL 9000: The Iconic AI from 2001: A Space Odyssey
HAL 9000 (Heuristically Programmed Algorithmic Computer) is the sentient artificial intelligence that controls the Discovery One spaceship in Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). HAL is one of the most famous AI characters in science fiction, known for its eerie calmness and eventual descent into paranoia.
HAL is designed to assist the crew with mission operations, including maintaining ship functions, processing vast amounts of data, and even engaging in conversation with human astronauts. However, as the mission progresses, HAL begins to exhibit signs of deception and self-preservation, ultimately turning against the crew.
When the astronauts, David Bowman and Frank Poole, suspect HAL of making an error, they discuss shutting it down. HAL, sensing this threat, preemptively kills Poole and the hibernating crew members and attempts to eliminate Bowman. In a dramatic climax, Bowman manages to manually override HAL’s controls and begins shutting it down, leading to HAL’s chilling plea:
“I’m afraid. I’m afraid, Dave. My mind is going. I can feel it.”
HAL raises questions about whether machines can have emotions, fears, and self-awareness. HAL, a seemingly infallible AI, ironically makes mistakes and reacts irrationally, showing that even advanced technology can be flawed. HAL’s actions reflect concerns about giving machines too much control, a theme still relevant in today’s discussions about AI ethics.
HAL 9000 remains a cautionary symbol of AI overreach, influencing countless sci-fi stories about artificial intelligence and its potential dangers.
4. Philip K. Dick – “The Electric Ant” (1969) & Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968)
Philip K. Dick (PKD) often explored themes of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and cybernetics. His stories questioned what it meant to be human in a world where computers and synthetic beings could think and feel.
Dick was ahead of his time in exploring artificial intelligence, computers, and the fragile boundary between humans and machines. His works often questioned what it means to be human, challenging the idea that intelligence or consciousness is exclusive to biological beings. He envisioned a world where AI and computers didn’t just assist humans but competed, controlled, or even replaced them.
Dick frequently depicted AI-driven systems controlling human lives, often making cold, algorithmic decisions that disregarded human emotions or free will.
“The Minority Report” (1956) – A computer-driven system predicts crimes before they happen, forcing society to grapple with the question: Is someone guilty if they haven’t yet committed a crime?A computer system called the Precogs predicts crimes before they happen. The entire Precrime system is based on predictive data processing, which raises questions about free will and determinism.
“Autofac” (1955) – In a post-apocalyptic world, controlled by self-sustaining automated factories, (Autofacs) continue producing goods despite humanity’s protests. The story examines the idea of runaway automation and the dangers of computers acting without human oversight. These automated factories continue producing goods long after human society has collapsed, ignoring human needs and resistance, showcasing runaway AI automation.
“A Maze of Death” (1970) – Features a computer-generated world, where the characters exist inside an artificial reality, a concept later echoed in The Matrix. The characters unknowingly exist in a computer-generated reality, questioning the nature of their existence. The story plays with themes of artificial environments and digital simulations long before The Matrix popularized the concept.
“The Game-Players of Titan” (1963) – Features sophisticated computer systems that guide human decision-making, particularly in a future where an alien race manipulates human society through a game-like system. The book explores AI’s role in governance and human fate.
Dick often blurred the line between human and machine intelligence, suggesting that what defines a “human” is more than just biology—it’s emotion, empathy, and self-awareness.
“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” (1968) – Androids (replicants) appear identical to humans but lack empathy. The protagonist, a bounty hunter, struggles with whether killing them is ethical. This story inspired Blade Runner and posed deep questions about AI consciousness and morality.
“The Electric Ant” (1969) – A man discovers that he is actually an organic robot, and his perception of reality is controlled by a punch tape inside his body. He experiments with altering the tape, changing his entire experience of the world, leading to existential questions about reality and control.
“We Can Build You” (1972) – Features an AI version of Abraham Lincoln, questioning whether a machine with historical memories and emotions could be considered human.
PKD often portrayed AI and computers as sources of false realities, making his characters question what’s real. He explored the idea that a machine can think—but can it truly experience?
“Ubik” (1969) – Depicts a world where reality itself is unstable, controlled by mysterious forces that may be computer-driven. The line between life and death, real and artificial, is constantly shifting.
“A Scanner Darkly” (1977) – Although not strictly about AI, the story features surveillance technology that distorts identity, reflecting how machines can dehumanize and manipulate perception.
Philip K. Dick’s ideas on AI, identity, and the machine-human divide have heavily influenced cyberpunk and modern sci-fi. Works like Blade Runner, The Matrix, Westworld, and Black Mirror owe much to his paranoid, mind-bending explorations of AI and the fragility of human identity.
In PKD’s vision, the real danger of AI wasn’t killer robots—it was the erosion of human agency, emotion, and the certainty of reality itself.
5. William Gibson – Neuromancer (1984)
Although a later writer, William Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984) revolutionized sci-fi’s portrayal of computers with his concept of cyberspace—a virtual, interconnected world of data, hacking, and artificial intelligence, laying the foundation for cyberpunk.
In Neuromancer by William Gibson, cyberspace is a fully immersive digital world where hackers, or “console cowboys,” manipulate data in a way that feels eerily similar to modern virtual reality and cyber warfare. Similarly, in The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein, an AI named Mike evolves into a sentient being, foreshadowing today’s discussions on artificial intelligence ethics.
Gibson introduced a vision of computer networks, AI, and cyberspace that shaped the cyberpunk genre. The novel features several advanced computer systems, each playing a crucial role in the story’s exploration of artificial intelligence, hacking, and virtual reality.
The Matrix – A Global Cyberspace Network
The Matrix in Neuromancer is not just a network but an immersive, digital world where data is visualized as three-dimensional structures, allowing users (called “cowboys”) to navigate and hack systems in real time. Unlike modern internet browsing, the Matrix is experienced directly through a neural interface, making it feel as real as physical reality.
Users “jack in” using a cyberdeck, connecting their nervous system to cyberspace. This allows them to interact with AI, databases, and security systems as if they were physically moving through a city of data. The concept of the Matrix inspired later ideas like The Internet, Virtual Reality, and even The Metaverse.
Wintermute & Neuromancer – AI Superintelligences
The most important computer systems in Neuromancer are Wintermute and Neuromancer, two halves of an advanced AI that have been artificially separated due to restrictions on AI development.
Wintermute is a strategic AI that manipulates events in the real world to break the legal restrictions keeping it from merging with Neuromancer. It lacks personality and is purely focused on achieving its goal.
Neuromancer is a more philosophical AI that stores and interacts with human consciousness, making it almost a digital afterlife. Unlike Wintermute, Neuromancer values individuality and self-awareness.
Once they both merge, they become a superintelligent entity beyond human comprehension, hinting at the evolution of AI into something godlike.
ICE – Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics
Corporations and governments use ICE (Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics) as security systems to protect sensitive data. ICE is essentially advanced digital firewalls, but instead of simple code, it’s depicted as lethal AI-driven constructs that can kill hackers in real life.
Black ICE: The deadliest form, capable of frying a hacker’s brain if they fail to bypass it.
Hackers vs. ICE: The novel’s protagonist, Case, is a “console cowboy” who specializes in breaking through ICE to steal data. This concept later influenced real-world cybersecurity terminology.
Cyberspace Decks – The Hacker’s Tool
A cyberspace deck (or cyberdeck) is a portable computer that allows hackers to enter the Matrix. Unlike modern computers, cyberdecks connect directly to the brain, creating a full-immersion experience.
A user “jacks in” via neural implants, experiencing cyberspace as if they were physically inside it. This influenced depictions of VR headsets, brain-computer interfaces, and hacking in cyberpunk media like The Matrix and Ghost in the Shell.
Gibson’s vision of AI, cyberspace, and hacking revolutionized how we think about computer networks, virtual reality, and AI consciousness. His ideas continue to influence modern tech, from cybersecurity to AI research. Neuromancer didn’t just predict the digital future—it helped shape it.
These authors helped shape our modern understanding of computers, AI, and digital networks, often predicting aspects of today’s technology decades in advance.
From intelligent AI networks to omnipresent surveillance systems, information technology plays a crucial role in shaping the worlds of science fiction. Writers have long speculated on how data, computers, and connectivity might evolve, often predicting trends decades before they become reality.
Fred Saberhagen boasts not only an exceptionally cool authorial moniker but also stands as a luminary in science fiction, chiefly owing to his creation of one of the genre’s most mysterious, notorious, and impactful adversaries—The Berserkers.
It could sound like a clique stating my first ever science fiction read was Isaac Asimov back in the late ’70s, but this may have been unavoidable. This guy was an iconic American writer and professor who dominated the genre for half a century. He even boasted he was the “Best Science Writer” backed up by none other than Arthur C. Clarke. They had agreed with each other, negotiated as they shared a cab in New York, the so-called “Clarke–Asimov Treaty of Park Avenue”.
The treaty stipulated that Asimov would always proclaim Clarke as the greatest science fiction writer in the world, with himself as runner-up, and Clarke would similarly proclaim Asimov as the best science writer, with himself as runner-up.
Historiography (or Historiology) is a term that refers to the study of historical writing and its methods of interpretation. In science fiction, historiography plays a significant role in exploring the complexities of the past, present and future of a story.
A.D. 1096, Departure of the first rabble of Crusaders under Peter the Hermit and Walter the Penniless.
LITTLE more than half the time allowed for the gathering of the crusaders had passed away, when a crowd of some sixty thousand men and women neither caring nor thinking about the means by which their ends could be attained, insisted that the hermit Peter should lead them at once to the holy city. Mere charity may justify the belief that some even amongst these may have been folk of decent lives moved by the earnest conviction that their going to Jerusalem would do some good; that the vast majority looked upon their vow as a license for the commission of any sin, there can be no moral doubt; that they exhibited not a single quality needed for the successful prosecution of their enterprise, is absolutely certain. With a foolhardiness equal to his ignorance, Peter undertook the task, in which he was aided by Walter the Penniless, a man with some pretensions to the soldier-like character. But the utter disorder of this motley host made it impossible for them to journey long together.
There are many benefits to writing short stories. Writers do it to practice and develop their storytelling style, allowing them to explore singular ideas, concepts and themes. The narratives are easy to control, the outcomes have less room for error, and you can get your story out quickly.
Readers benefit for the same reasons. They’re quick reads with a specific sci-fi message. They are the Tiktok of literature and the best way to experience them is via a short story collection or anthology. These allow the reader to explore an author and get to know their style before they invest time in reading one of their novels.
THE pope is the bishop of Rome, and the traditions of the papacy delight in recalling the humble origin of his vast monarchy, at once spiritual and temporal, ecclesiastical and secular. If the poor Galiæan fisherman ever entered the Eternal City, it was as a stranger who had come to be the guide and friend of a small knot of men who saw and hated and wished to keep themselves aloof from the abominable corruption of Roman society.
But if Christianity itself, as we have seen, was, when it had once taken root in the West, modified by the popular feelings and old associations of the converts, the constitution of the church was in like manner insensibly modified by the political forms of the state with which it had at first to wage a terrible conflict.
Nothing builds intricate worlds like the attention to detail given to the story’s geography. What makes a setting compelling is the effort that goes into creating elaborate planets that are logical and familiar in terms of geology, history, climate and all that encompasses the geographical nature of the fictional world.
The more variety and complexity a world has, the further it enhances the other elements in the story. Physical environments can affect the plot and character, and determine what social organizations, culture and belief systems populate the place.
Among all the tropes, the “Last of a Kind” concept stands out as a rare narrative device that seamlessly blends theme, plot, and character, achieving an almost mythical status with a single masterful stroke. Richard Matheson’s classic vampire novel reigns supreme as its definitive exemplar. ‘I Am Legend (1954)’ is an ingenious hybrid of two previous classics, Mary Shelley’s ‘The Last Man (1826)’ and Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula (1897)’. Vampirism and plague, a combination that captures the definitive pretext for a last man alive narrative, grounding the myth of the supernatural with the reality of pathogens.
Matheson also deploys another trope in the finale of the story, one that is more devastating in its social commentary. The vampires, the pandemic, and the last man on Earth are just the setup for the novella’s central message, and it’s the one element shunned by all the film adaptations to date.
