As we increase our population, we increasingly rely on machines and technology to support that population.
As we develop machines and technology, we are reducing the machines dependence upon us.
Surveillance, lack of privacy, the end of secrets, these things all place advantage in the hands of whoever "knows all" and reduces the risks traditionally associated with wars, or any kind of intervention by force. And, the machines have first access to all this information.
Clearly, if these trends continue, it will be a very bad day, for people, when the machines first ask "Why?"
Which is why we have all these movies, books, etc. about it - not that the literature is rapidly changing the course of society away from Skynet's J-Day, but at least they are getting some kind of awareness of the possibilities into the (human) collective consciousness.
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Are you really paranoid if everyone really is out to get you?