That may have been the case (Since it is unclear in the story.) but from my perspective, that still doesn't seem bad enough to cause a near species wide death rage, particularly since if the children are still alive, they might count for AI voting rights as a member of the human species. It seems the AI would have to have done something currently almost universally regarded as utterly horrible and beyond the pale.
There are a lot of possible alternatives, though. Example further alternative: All of Earth's children were sold to the Baby Eating Aliens for terraforming technology.
particularly since if the children are still alive, they might count for AI voting rights as a member of the human species.
In short run I image the kids are quite upset about being separated from their families and being told they'll never see them again. I don't have, or work around, kids so I don't know that this would translate into wishing the AI dead, but it feels plausiblish.
Today's post, Failed Utopia #4-2 was originally published on 21 January 2009. A summary (taken from the LW wiki):
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