An unabridged collection spotlighting the best robot and AI stories published in 2023 by current and emerging masters of the science fiction genre, edited by Allan Kaster. This is a paperback book.
 
“The Infinite Endings of Elsie Chen” by Kylie Lee Baker—A programmer codes an AI to predict her own death as her high school classmates begin to die.
“My Year as a Boy” by David Ira Cleary—A man recalls his bot-aided transformation from neutered clone to boy.
“Games Without Frontiers” by Andy Dudak—A mediocre improv player, trapped in a weaponized game world, takes on the role of an assassin.
“Everybody Needs a Conditions Box” by David Ebenbach—Second thoughts abound about turning on the AI of a floating city in the clouds of Venus.
“Tantie Merle and the Farmhand 4200” by R.S.A. Garcia—A lonely widow, living with a goat in an island village, is gifted a robot. This story won both the Nebula Award and the Theodore Sturgeon Award for best short story in 2023.
“Xhova” by Adelehin Ijasan—An automaton is ordered to destroy its humanoid daughter.
“The Bends” by Rajan Khanna—A diver’s behavior toward sea life runs contrary to his AI’s programming.
“Zeta-Epsilon” by Isabel J. Kim—The unlikely suicide of a human starship pilot with a navigator AI brain implant is investigated.
“At Every Door a Ghost” by Premee Mohamed—Scientists come under increasing scrutiny after an AI discovers chemical compounds that can be used as weapons.
“Personal Satisfaction” by Adrian Tchaikovsky—Robots aid humans to carry out a real duel of honor with smart pistols as the weapon of choice.
“Prospecting” by Lavie Tidhar—A cyborg warrior rehabilitates himself by prospecting on Mars.