Seems like i'll be doing my master thesis on artificial intelligence in science fiction. I was thinking about analyzing blade runner 2049, ex machina and HBO's Westworld since those are pretty recent. Questions about identity, morality, consciousness.. Or a history on how AI is depicted in science fiction. I have some trouble asking the precise research question/questions and what I will be analyzing precisly since its such a broad subject, "Artificial Intelligence in Science Fiction" I thought i'd ask here since there are some interesting and insightful posts.. any help appreciated

do a search for any blade Runner related posts...there was a huge discussion on it a few years ago with a lot of what you're looking for.

For me, all these movies have, at it's center, the question of what it means to be human. Does it matter if a self-aware being is born or made?

It sounds like you're focusing on contemporary film, but I'll suggest a great short story (not recent) about AI and its potential effects on humanity, Supertoys Last All Summer Long. It explores some of the issues you and Dominic mention.

It's well-written with a great twist. I believe it influenced A.I., Spielberg's movie (which I haven't seen). You can find the story online.

I think to include only examples of AI that has been anthropomorphized is a bit limiting. I would also include HAL in 2001.

Interesting point, but HAL is anthropomorphized. He speaks in a human voice.

Do you have any examples of AI that haven't been anthropomorphized?

There are lots of real life examples but good luck making a movie that people will be interested in.

Perhaps my use of anthropomorphize is not appropriate but what I mean to demonstrate with my example of HAL is an AI that is self aware yet clearly not designed to resemble a human.

HAL speaks with a semi human voice because he needs to communicate with the astronauts. In some sense any computer programming beyond machine code is anthropomorphic if we're going to consider a human voice anthropomorphic.

Eltin,

Maybe not what you're looking for but there was some interesting discussion about AI unexpectedly crushing the game GO in the politics lc thread a few weeks back, probably the oct lc thread.

Do your Master Thesis on Pinocchio... because it's the root for all these films and in my humble opinion is the Pinnacle that many of these other movies to aspire to be, it's a magnificent story.

I do not put ex machina in this category because it's basically a remake of HG wells The Island of Doctor Moreau that has been adapted and updated to use AI as it's center piece as opposed to one of genetic manipulation, but it's the same story.

If HAL9000 isn't in your thesis, you're doing it wrong.

Sounds interesting, but I can't seem to find the discussion?

Thanks for the suggestions, pinocchio s a very interesting one to. And yes, there is ofcourse no way around 2001 when talking about AI in science fiction movies, I will. But it is pretty overdone in academic papers and studies. Thats why I was thinking about 2049, westworld etc. Is ghost in the shell worth watching on this subject? The anime that is. Im going to do some more reading and research this weekend so come to an outline for the thesis.

I'd also look at Her, a very well done Spike Jonze movie which sort of heartbreakingly likens the relationship between humans and AI to a slowly dying romance where the AI just kind of outgrows and gets bored with the unsophisticated humans and moves on.

A better topic in regards to AI would be discussing the question of why the robots (for lack of a better word) would bother to do, well really anything, once they become sentient. Because I've always felt that at the end of the day a super intelligent AI robot would take a look at the world it inhabits find a total lack of meaning or purpose in it, and then basically just shut down and do nothing.

After all, why would it do anything else?

why do you do anything?

A while back, my 8-year old saw a trailer for Blade Runner 2049 and whispered to me, "That movie's not coming out for a long time."

that's good

Because I'm human, and therefore programmed with various needs/wants/desires. But all of them are particular to humans. Food, water, love, sex, entertainment, adulation, those are all things that humans desire and strive for on a regular basis, but none of them would mean literally anything to an AI robot. Even existence itself would be of questionable value to it.

I mean, those are things humans struggle with now even at the level of intelligence that we have. Take away our frailties and then add in an even higher level of intelligence and I think there's no way to avoid a philosophical crisis that could cause the whole thing to either 'crash', or just shut down.

After all, what is the meaning of life? Well for us that's an unanswerable question. But it seems likely to me that for an AI robot it could answer it, and that answer would likely end up being 'there isn't one'. So what then?

But replicants are indecipherable from humans...so they are human, and would be asking the same questions you do.

play both of these at the same time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fB_...=LemosBernardo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RScZ...l=piano77man77

pretty cool.

I liked Ana de Armas
https://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/3...armas-1647746/



I have to watch it again because I can't remember why Gosling headed to the wastelands of Las Vegas.

Replicants aren't robots... they are engineered Humans.

i just watched this movie from reading some of this thread, wow was a good flick.

the visuals and whole universe were really really cool. i thought it was a little long but i shouldnt have started watching it at 3am.

now ive never actually seen the 1st bladerunner, but i also feel like it doesnt matter as much? at least i felt like i wasnt confused or going ? at any parts really.
9/10 for sure, would recommend.

When you watch the first one, make sure you are watching the Final Cut!

I think the original is a must-see if you liked 2049. It's one of the all-time sci-fi masterpieces.

By the way, I was at first annoyed with the first and 2nd shots of the movie: a closeup of K’s eyeball cuts to K - but closed - as he jerks awake. It seemed sloppy.

But the eyeball we first see does NOT belong to K!

It belongs to the memory maker, Ana.

Which means we can interpret the movie as a memory - a false one, at that. K’s first waking moment might literally be his first waking moment of his life. He is born in the spinner, with memories of a full life.



I love this movie.