He accessed his memory of Eliasz saying “I am not a faggot” for the seven hundred and sixteenth time. “Faggot” was a word for something that only humans cared about. Maybe Eliasz really was like the sprinkler system at Arcata Solar Farm, mistaking Paladin for something he was not.
Finally, Paladin considered the possibility that his own feelings were also an illusion. Every indentured bot knew that there were programs running in his mind that he could not access, nor control– and these programs were designed to inspire loyalty. But were they also supposed to make him care this much about small physiological changes in Eliasz’ body? (128)
Annalee Newitz is no stranger to readers of SF, and she has penned some fine non-fiction. Her first novel, Autonomous, appeared in September 2017 to accolades. We finally get around to reviewing this provocative work, which addresses ownership, patent piracy, indentured servitude, pharmaceutical availability, personal autonomy, and (as in the section quoted above) love, friendship, and sex between natural and artificial beings, who may (both) be at the mercy of their programming.