Book · 1963 · Robots
I, Robot
- mentions
- 7
- people
- 7
- podcasts
- 7
- episodes
- 7
- recommendations
- 2
If you have not read the book, you absolutely should.
Dave Rubin · The Rubin Report · Oct 2026 The best things said about it
Then I would probably say I, Robot for sure by Asimov.
Andy Weir The Book Review · Mar 2026 You know it's um i think irobot might go down is the most influential book of the 20th century not counting something like mind comps which is a very different direction.
Asimov proposed the Three Laws of Robotics in order: don't harm humans, obey orders, protect yourself.
Lex Fridman Lex Fridman Podcast · Sep 2019 Where and when it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
7 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov is a seminal science fiction collection that introduces the Three Laws of Robotics and examines the complex ethical boundaries between humans and machines. On The Rubin Report, Dave Rubin recommended the book to viewers, pointing out that while the film adaptation starring Will Smith was only average, the original book was an absolute must-read. Andy Weir also named Asimov's collection as a book he would choose to bring to Mars during his appearance on The Book Review. On EconTalk, Russ Roberts cited the work as one of the most influential books of the 20th century. Tyler Cowen discussed the chronological structure of Asimov's writing during Conversations with Tyler, while Neil deGrasse Tyson compared its early depiction of humanoid robots to television families on StarTalk Radio. Jason Calacanis brought up the first law of robotics on This Week in Startups while contemplating the potential risks of modern artificial intelligence and what it might reveal about society. Finally, Lex Fridman introduced a guest on the Lex Fridman Podcast by detailing how Asimov first proposed the Three Laws of Robotics in his 1942 short story 'Runaround' from this very collection. Podcast guests continually referenced the book to anchor modern debates surrounding AI safety and machine ethics.
Every mention
Andy Weir then I would probably say I, Robot for sure by Asimov. 1
“then I would probably say I, Robot for sure by Asimov.”
Dave Rubin So Kalkanis is talking about the three laws from Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, which if you, the movie with Will… 1
“So Kalkanis is talking about the three laws from Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, which if you, the movie with Will Smith, not great, it's okay. But if you have not read the book, you absolutely should.”
Jason Calacanis Asmov's first law is a really really like if you ever sit there in the dark and truly contemplate what that… 1
“Asmov's first law is a really really like if you ever sit there in the dark and truly contemplate what that means and then apply it to what we think AI is about to reveal around about us”
Lex Fridman and now here's my conversation with Colin angle in his 1942 short story runaround from his iRobot collectio… 1
“and now here's my conversation with Colin angle in his 1942 short story runaround from his iRobot collection as a Asimov proposed the Three Laws of Robotics in order don't harm humans obey orders protect yourself”
Neil deGrasse Tyson this is the same with Isaac asimov's ey robot which predates the Jetson 1
“this is the same with Isaac asimov's ey robot which predates the Jetson”
Russ Roberts you know it's um i think irobot might go down is the most influential book of the 20th century not counting… 1
“you know it's um i think irobot might go down is the most influential book of the 20th century not counting something like mind comps which is a very different direction”
Tyler Cowen What is it you find so interesting in Isaac Azimov's Iroot? Because that's also a chronological history, ri… 1
“What is it you find so interesting in Isaac Azimov's Iroot? Because that's also a chronological history, right?”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (4: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Isaac Asimov wrote about this in I, Robot and several other books”
“So do we want to keep falling behind on that, despite knowing all the warnings that Isaac Asimov taught us and I, robot, and everything else?”
“um it looks like uh the movie I Robot right which was azimoff uh it's clearly somebody in that lab where is this taking place”
“and now let me leave you with the three laws of robotics from isaac asimov”