In 2024, artificial intelligence (AI) took center stage as one of the key topics of discussion. While scientific advancements in this field have been remarkable, cinema has played a crucial role in shaping perceptions of AI both in the present and the future.
One of the most iconic portrayals of AI in cinema is Hal 9000 from Stanley Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968). HAL is depicted as an artificial intelligence that controls a spaceship. The film, released shortly before the first moon landing, highlighted the potential dangers of AI with Hal displaying enigmatic motives and the ability to turn against the crew.
Throughout the decades, movies have reflected common fears surrounding AI, including distrust of these technologies, concerns about AI rebelling against its creators, and the desire to dominate humanity. These fears have evolved against the backdrop of historical events such as the Cold War, the space race, the rise of video games, and the advent of the Internet, yet the underlying fear of AI remains constant.
Recent studies, outlined in the book “AI in the Cinema,” analyze how “strong” or “human” AI is portrayed in over 50 films, offering insights into how these advancements are depicted through characters and narratives, and how societal attitudes towards AI have shifted over time.
The concept of AI first emerged in 1956 during a summer research project at Dartmouth College, where mathematician John McCarthy coined the term “artificial intelligence.” The idea was soon depicted in films such as “Forbidden Planet” and “The Invisible Boy,” with robots like Robbie triumphing over malevolent supercomputers.
Subsequent films continued to explore the theme of rogue AI, with characters like Alpha 60 in “Alphaville” (1965) and Hal in “2001: A Space Odyssey” setting the stage for future portrayals. The 1973 film “Westworld” featured a humanoid robot causing chaos, while the 1977 movie “Demon Seed” depicted a supercomputer impregnating a woman.
By the 1980s, AI began to be associated with network computing, as seen in movies like “WarGames” (1983) where a teenager inadvertently triggers a nuclear conflict through AI. From the 1990s onwards, AI in films could transition between digital and physical forms, with characters like Agent Smith in “The Matrix Revolutions” and Samantha in “Her” embodying post-material essences.
Early portrayals of AI often mirrored human traits, as seen in films like “Colossus: The Forbin Project” (1970)