I, Robot

The book where it derives its name I, Robot only seems to share the common theme of the three laws of robotics. I, Robot itself is a collection of short stories, later compiled into "The Complete Robot," these stories focus on the development of robotics throughout the near future (admittedly it starts around the 1950's which isn't really the future) and the development of the three laws giving robots a form of morality and protecting humanity in the meantime. Another possible link is Susan Calvin, a doctor of robotics, who is the only character appearing in both the book and the film. As far as I could see it, the three laws and Dr. Calvin appeared to be the only links between the book and film for I, Robot.

At this point I thought "maybe it's another one of the books but they thought I, Robot would be a better name". So looking into the other Robot novels, which follow a homicide detective (a possible link with the film), Elijah Bailey, and a robot R. Daneel Olivaw, this partnership of robot and man could be another link; but otherwise the plots of all the books are significantly different from the film.

However in R. Daneel Olivaw I found an important link, this however was through Asimov's linking between his literary universes of Robot, Empire and Foundation; namely Daneel's own evolution of his morality, creating the Zeroth Law to protect humanity, which appears to be a conclusion reached by the hive robotic intelligence; although in the film it is shown as a bad thing, where in Asimov's fiction it is shown as a means to keep humanity alive.

Eventually I did research from outside of my own knowledge; and found that the film is in fact nothing to do with Asimov's I, Robot although a link was initially made and certain marketer's decided to stock Asimov further than before. The film is in fact closer to I, Robot; an earlier short story by Eando Binder, which is the confession of a robot charged with murder; however even this book is significantly different from the film of the same name.

So I, Robot as a film, in the end, is non-canon to everything and thus is an entity in itself. So when you watch it, keep in mind that it has little to do with any previous work of fiction; so don't let it prejudice you against reading works like Asimov's great Robot series.