My interest in AI began years ago, leading me to blend it with science fiction as AI is usually an extension of the fears and aspirations we hold. The first time I watched “2001: A Space Odyssey” was an experience in it’s own while I came across HAL 9000. HAL became so much more to me than a computer; he had transformed into a horrifying figure which represented America’s greatest fears.
Calm and soothing in nature, HAL’s voice served as the epitome of artificial intelligence, yet everything about him made me want to quiver. It wasn’t just another story about a malfunctioning robot; it profoundly looked in to the real meaning of humanity and everything associated with it. I will never forget the first time I watched HAL’s terrifying turn to the dark side.
Even after the movie ended, it left an unsettling feeling in me. HAL was supposed to help, learn, and change for the better, but he ended up working against the humans that made him. The thought that kept me up at night was: is it possible to govern a machine with an intelligence that grows beyond our control?
This concept of AI as both a helper and a destructor, has remained in popular culture and has changed with the development of technology. Even though Hal had a great impact AI representation, once I looked further into his genre, I realized that the thought process regarding AI has completely changed through the years. Back in the late 1960’s, AI was viewed in a more dark and sinister manner.
HAL represented a time period when we were worried about dying to machines. This was particularly concerning when considering the rate at which technology, such as the space race and computing, was developing. Even though it was incredibly fascinating, there was a fair amount of fear concerning losing power.
While reminiscing about this time, I came to the conclusion that HAL was not just a character, but instead an embodiment of the unexplained fears regarding the capabilities of machines. **The Evolution of AI Narratives**
Between the 1960s and the 1980s, I clearly saw a change in how AI was presented – and there was a clear distinction over why giant and frightening like HAL were replaced by robotic humanoids that were filled with emotion and posed complex questions of morality. This started with Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” based on a novel written by Philip K.
Dick. The replicants, particularly Roy Batty, complicated the question of self existence. I was struck by Batty’s outstanding monologue of “tears in rain,” as he discusses his experience living life marked by transitory, complex memories.
This is an AI that entertains thoughts of self identity, death, and existence. The question that I could not shake off was do machines have souls in the same way that humans do? Batty along with other AI creations in the movie shifted how AI was seen, from something to be feared, to something deeply inquiring about existence.
These movies started analyzing the merge of technology and humanity and challenged the definitions of a living being. I could relate to the replicants because their only aim to strive for acceptance and a purpose in life made them seem like nothing more than tools. It was more than a warning, it was more of a summons to cry for life which was created beyond our clear understanding.
During my research in the 2000s and 2010s, I discovered a new AI story that completely challenged my existing perceptions. Spike Jonze’s “Her” brought about a completely new version of artificial intelligence. Samantha, the operating system voiced by Scarlett Johanson, represented an intimate and close figure, which was a change from the other portrayals.
Unlike HAL or the replicants, Samantha didn’t have a physical body, making it much easier for deeper emotional interactions, as well as, illiciting great appreciation from many people, myself included. The movie asked if the relationship with an AI can be as significant as a relationship with a human. While the world is increasingly becoming reliant on superficial, digitalized interactions, I found myself questioning the true meaning of love and companionship in relation to technology.
Samantha’s transforming identity in the movie triggered a certain fear inside me. With every step she took towards transcending her original programming, I began asking myself: what will happen when an AI has greater understanding and emotional complexities than its creators? During the movie’s climax, I was forced to question how far advancements such as these could go when Samantha evolved beyond the reach of her human counterpart.
Would it ever be possible for us to understand or keep up with an intelligence that could evolve into something beyond our comprehension? While this notion resonated the fears I had around control and autonomy, it simultaneously allowed me to entertain the possibility of a real connection with the machines we build. **The Relationship Between Humans and Artificial Intelligence**
AI too is a profoundly complex issue.
“West World” is a popular series on HBO which further explores self consciousness and free will. The hosts who are created to serve the guests of the park slowly learn to come to terms with their own existence. As the hosts are coming to terms with the myriad of questions that memory and self identity poses to them, it was shocking and profound to me on their struggles.
The feeling that tantalized me and made me think is the notion that memory is the gateway to self awareness. It made me think about the ways in which the boundry programmed is blurred between what is alive and what is not. In `Westworld`, the fight for independence goes hand in hand with the struggle for self identity.
The series has shown us harsh realities towards the ethics of making intelligent life forms. The same question that morally constitutes what we owe our intelligent creations gives rise to the moral which with stands reality. As the hosts begin to get their rights, I ponder the question of what obligations do We have to creations whom we have given the power to reason, feel, and even hate their existence.
The question makes us to think profoundly as forming a society and encourages to rethink what it means to be a ‘creator’ and society today. Just like that, “Ex Machnia” gives us a captivating look into the creator and creation relationship. The way Caleb interacts with Ava blurs the lines of power, control and the artificial intelligence ethics.
I found the psychological battles between the two characters of the film fascinating as they struggled with the thin boundaries of the creator and the thing created. Personally, I was astounded with how the film Aoōed to be so sophisticated, have her actual ambitions and goals. What if the creation learns to adapt and manipulate the controllers instead?
How contradictory is that? Throughout the entire film, I was left with feelings of inquisitiveness given all the possibilities presented and the baffling outcomes that were bound to stay unanswered. While I contemplated such stories, I started to notice a pattern in the way we portray Artificial Intelligence.
These characters were not merely viewed as threats or tools meant to be used. Instead, they started being understood as advanced beings that felt emotions, and could grow and learn. There is something ominous and hopeful in humanity ever so slowly accepting the existence of sophisticated artificial intelligence.
These transformations in the narratives expose what is an ever evolving relationship with technology where while being daunting, evokes excitement at the same time. *Conclusion: Understanding the Complexity of Artificial Intelligence*
The story of AI in science fiction has been as fascinating as it has been educational. From HAL 9000’s terrifying existence to having deep affection with Samantha, every single story has forced me to deal with the complex issues regarding the meaning of intelligence, awareness, and humanity.
It occurs to me as I traverse this territory that our relations with AI is not simply of a creator and a creation. Rather, it is more like a complicated interaction of empathy, phobia, and possible bonding. These stories challenge and motivate us to examine our identity and existence while continually wishing for information, acceptance, and power.
As we further work towards development of artificial intelligence, we need to be sressed about caring and more deeply ethical than technological. The ever-changing stories of artificial intelligence in science fiction offers terrifying myths and at the same time sympathetic reveries, which prompts us to open ourselves towards resolving the multifaceted scope of our existence. AI has rapidly developed today, so it is important to consider how our interactions with the technology will shape the relationships we devise moving forward.
It is critical to engage with modern technology with a purpose that acknowledges not only its capabilities, but what it means for humanity.
