Steven HoeferStevenTalkingBooks@mastodon.social

Oct 16, 2026, 12:40 AM

Becky Chambers (who has a new book out!) says the right things about generative AI in this zine.
"As long as there are people who want to read books written from scratch, I will keep writing books from scratch. That is a hard and fast promise."
https://www.otherscribbles.com/aizine

A hand holding a small 8 page magazine the size of a deck of cards. It is titled "I do not like these robots" an explanatory zine by Becky Chambers. Made ahead of my October 2026 book tour by hand and in a fit of pique

A hand holding the small zine showing the back:

If you would like to print another copy of this, go to otherscribbles. com/aizine.
Image and template credits are there, too.
GOOD ESSAYS ABOUT AI & CONSCIOUSNESS:
"No, Artificial Intelligence Is Not Conscious" by Ted Chiang, The Atlantic, June 3, 2026
"The Mythology of Conscious AI" by Anil Seth, Noema, Jan. 14, 2026
"Large Language Mistake" by Benjamin Riley,The Verge, Nov. 25, 2025

ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS ON NONHUMAN MINDS:
"Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?" by Frans de Waal (2016)

THE NAMES OF THE TWO ROOMBAS IN MY HOUSE:
1812 and Caprica

You will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever take the em dash away from me.