Harlan Ellison

"At first it meant Allied Mastercomputer, and then it meant Adaptive Manipulator, and later on it developed sentience and linked itself up and they called it an Aggressive Menace, but by then it was too late, and finally it called itself AM, emerging intelligence, and what it meant was I am … cogito ergo sum … I think, therefore I am." Benny drooled a little, and snickered.

AM could not wander, AM could not wonder, AM could not belong. He could merely be. And so, with the innate loathing that all machines had always

finally it called itself AM, emerging intelligence, and what it meant was I am … cogito ergo sum … I think, therefore I am."

Surrounded by madness, surrounded by hunger, surrounded by everything but death, I knew death was our only way out.

And yet … AM has won, simply … he has taken his revenge … I have no mouth. And I must scream.