The Year's Top Robot and AI Stories

An unabridged collection spotlighting the best robot and AI stories published in 2021 by current and emerging masters of the science fiction genre, edited by Allan Kaster.

• "My Heart Is at Capacity" by TJ Berry-An AI, designed to be the perfect romantic partner, wants to become an even better partner.
• "A Necessary Being" by Indrapramit Das-In an age of plagues, a mecha pilot adopts a young girl in a reforesting Kolkata.
• "Philia, Eros, Storge, Agápe, Pragma" by R.S.A. Garcia-A woman seeks to re-bond with her sister AI while falling in love with the man who rescued her from a crash landing on an alien planet.
• "Bread and Circuits" by Misha Lenau-A neural network researcher tries to keep a sentient toaster from committing suicide after it joins an orphanage for abandoned smart machines.
• "Philly Killed His Car" by Will McIntosh-A man needs to sell a car that refuses to be sold.
• "A Vast Silence" by T. R. Napper-A petty thief steals a woman's shoes that turn out to be highly sought-after AI tech.
• "Muallim" by Ray Nayler-A village is determined to keep its robot teacher, even though it's not performing as originally designed.
• "Uploading Angela" by Lettie Prell-A dying librarian's cognitive upload to a virtual world turns problematic when all evidence of a computer virus mysteriously disappears.
• "An Hour to Ames" by Dan Reade-A woman avoids visiting her abusive mother in a hospice by sending her android assistant in her stead.
• "Mixology for Humanity's Sake" by D.A. Xiaolin Spires-A sake brewer struggling to survive during a pandemic becomes instrumental in the delivery of vaccines with the help of cute, doll-like bots.
• "Room to Live" by Marie Vibbert-A call center employee deals with a haughty roommate, the homeless, and a possible robot uprising while trying to keep her job.