Whether you like it or not, artificial intelligence continues to advance and integrate into society. One of the latest tools sweeping the world is ChatGPT. Launched by OpenAI in November 2022, ChaptGPT is an AI chatbot designed to hold conversations with humans. Users can ask ChatGPT endless questions, and through artificial intelligence, ChatGPT will respond with answers. Because of its fast response time when you ask it to write a poem or script, there is some discussion of whether could replace humans in certain areas of the workforce.
Films have been depicting artificial intelligence for many decades. In films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Terminator, and A.I. Artificial Intelligence, humans’ obsession with technology make for an entertaining premise. Below you’ll find six movies to watch if you are interested in, or scared of, ChatGPT and artificial intelligence.
Her (2013)
Could you ever fall in love with an artificially intelligent creation? Spike Jonze explores isolation, loneliness, and modern relationships in his 2013 sci-fi romance Her. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Theodore Twombly, a depressed man going through a painful divorce. In need of comfort, Theodore purchases an operating system with a virtual assistant. Theodore elects to make it a female voice and calls her Samantha (Scarlett Johansson).
Theodore and Samantha start as friends, but it quickly turns into a romantic relationship as they develop feelings for one another. As he grows closer to Samantha, Theodore questions his reality and fears being lonely again. For a film about a man falling in love with a virtual voice, Her is one of the more tender and romantic films of the last 10 years.
The Matrix (1999)
There’s an argument to be made that The Matrix is the most influential sci-fi film of the last 25 years. Part allegory and part action spectacle, The Matrix was ahead of its time, with groundbreaking special effects and jaw-dropping fight sequences. The film incorporates themes such as religion, philosophy, and technology to depict a world where technology is the biggest threat to survival.
In a dystopian future, humans are trapped within a simulated reality known as the Matrix in a world where machines rule. Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), a human freed from the Matrix, believes computer hacker Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves), or Neo, is the “One” to save humanity. As he joins the rebellion, Neo becomes more powerful and gains new abilities to control the Matrix.
Blade Runner (1982)
Imagine making Alien, one of the greatest sci-fi horror films of all time, and then following it up with Blade Runner, a film that many consider the greatest sci-fi film ever. That is an iconic three-year run from Ridley Scott. In 2019 Los Angeles, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is a former police officer who now works as a “blade runner,” someone who tracks down replicants, bioengineered synthetic humans, and retires them. Deckard is tasked with retiring four replicants, led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), who wish to extend their life span on Earth.
From the smog over Los Angeles to the lifelike androids, Blade Runner is a technical marvel. Since its 1982 release, the film has achieved cultlike status, and the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress selected Blade Runner for preservation in 1993.
I, Robot (2004)
In 2035, people employ humanoid robots for public service positions to keep the population safe. After the death of the robotics founder, Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) is tasked with investigating the case. Initially deemed a suicide, the skeptical Spooner believes a robot named Sonny (Alan Tudyk) committed the murder. Spooner, who hates robots, uncovers a conspiracy that involves an artificially intelligent computer named VIKI and its desire to control humanity.
I, Robot is similar to ChatGPT in that it raises the possibility of artificial intelligence replacing humans. However, I, Robot takes it to the extreme, and that makes for an entertaining blockbuster.
Minority Report (2002)
Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, and a science-fiction blockbuster. If that doesn’t grab your attention, I don’t know what else will. In 2054, the federal government uses a precrime program to stop homicides from ever occurring thanks to the visions of three psychics known as “precogs.” The head of the precrime program, Chief John Anderton (Cruise), becomes a fugitive when the precogs reveal that he will commit a murder in 36 hours.
Anderton searches for answers as to why he would commit a murder and learns that one of the psychics can see a different version of the events known as a “minority report.” Anderton races to prove his innocence while outrunning the unit he works for. Though precrime does not exist, Minority Report‘s use of intelligence for surveillance is a controversial topic in today’s society.
RoboCop (1987)
There are no “part man, part machine, part cops” running around in major cities. At least I don’t know of any off the top of my head. However, the themes depicted in RoboCop are not far off from that of our society. Artificial intelligence is a huge part of law enforcement and policing. Corporate greed is prevalent in the business world. and machines continue to replace humans in the workforce.
Satire and political agenda aside, RoboCop is still a science-fiction action film with a lot of violence and gore. The film centers around Alex Murphy (Peter Weller), a murdered police officer who is revived and turned into a cyborg cop who brutally fights crime. It doesn’t predict the future, but RoboCop is an interesting take on a dystopian society.
