William Hertling is the author of the award-winning Avogadro Corp: The Singularity Is Closer Than It Appears and A.I. Apocalypse, near-term science-fiction novels about realistic ways strong AI might emerge. His books have been called “frighteningly plausible”, “tremendous”, “must read”.
These technothrillers are based in realistic technology because he’s worked in the tech industry for nearly twenty years, and holds more than a dozen patents in computer programming and network.
He’s also written articles about the future of robotics and artificial intelligence and how to predict the future.
He’s been influenced by writers such as Charles Stross, Cory Doctorow, Walter Jon Williams, and William Gibson.
William Hertling was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up a digital native in the early days of bulletin board systems. His first experiences with net culture occurred when he wired seven phone lines into the back of his Apple //e, creating an online chat system.
He currently resides in Portland, Oregon, and is working on his third novel, The Last Firewall. By day he works on web and social media for HP. Follow him on twitter at @hertling or visit his blog williamhertling.com.
A.I. Apocalypse
by William Hertling
Available from Amazon or Kobo.
A.I. Apocalypse is William Hertling’s second novel. A #5 bestselling technothriller on Amazon, A.I. Apocalypse is set in the year 2025, and explores what happens when
Leon Tsarev, a teenager who’s only goal is getting into a great college, is coerced by his uncle, a member of the Russian mob, into developing a new computer virus for the mob’s botnet – the slave army of computers they use to commit digital crimes.
The virus Leon creates, based on biological principles, is a little too successful, infecting all the world’s computers. Everything from cars to payment systems and, of course, computers and smart phones stop functioning, and with them go essential functions including emergency services, transportation, and the food supply. Billions may die.
But evolution never stops. The virus continues to change, developing intelligence, communication, and an entire civilization of A.I. called the Phage. Some may be friendly to humans, but others are not.
Leon and his companions must race against time and the military to find a way to either befriend or eliminate the Phage and restore the world’s computer infrastructure.
Oh! This I have to read. I’ve been fascinated with the concept of AIs, and robots, since first reading Asimov and Heinlein all those years ago. Thanks for bringing this book to my attention!