English

Noun

Frankenstein complex ‎(plural Frankenstein complexes)

1. The fear that an artificial intelligence will turn against humans.
   • 1947 March, Asimov, Isaac, “Little Lost Robot”, in Astounding Science Fiction, volume 39, number 1, page 116:

     I'll admit that this Frankenstein Complex you're exhibiting has a certain justification—hence the First Law in the first place.

   • 1987 December, Bujold, Lois McMaster, “Falling Free”, in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, volume 108, number 13, page 30:

     Mr. Graf, you're still disturbed. You sure you're not harboring just a little of the old Frankenstein complex about all this? It's all right to admit it to me—in fact, I want you to talk about it.

   • 1992, Segen, Joseph C., The Dictionary of Modern Medicine, ISBN 9781850703211, page 234:

     The central character of Mary Shelley's novel by the same name 'Frankenstein' is used as an adjective in a variety of biomedical contexts, eg. Frankenstein complex The fear that machines via artificial intelligence may replace physicians

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-530567-8, pages 67–68
• Frankenstein complex n. at the OED Science Fiction Citations Project