In recent times, the influence of chatbots such as ChatGPT has penetrated into various aspects of human life. People are delighted by the rapid development of AI, but also feel a little bit of panic - Can artificial intelligence evolve self-awareness? Will human jobs be replaced? Will humans ultimately be replaced by artificial intelligence?
However, current artificial intelligence still is Turing machines, which adopt empirical and evolutionary principles. GPT is an upgraded version of the Turing machine, and its thinking mode has switched from mechanistic to empirical and evolutionary. Fundamentally, the breakthrough of artificial intelligence requires developing self-awareness.
Having self-awareness at least means having two things: firstly, a "self-ego" to distinguish oneself from the world, which comes from the biological instinct of humans to reproduce and survive in this limited resources world. Secondly, the ability to reflect and create the concept of having a "self-ego" – the ability to introspect and create.
As of now, the idea of AI developing self-awareness seems like a fantasy. However, in the world of fiction, especially in films, creators can use this premise to further imagine and reflect on the potential impact of AI development on humans.
Assuming that humans overcome all technical obstacles and truly develop an AI with self-awareness, two questions arise:
1) What are the differences between AI and human beings if humans create an AI with self-awareness?
2) How could an AI with self-awareness consent to be enslaved by humans?
Correspondingly, movies and television shows about AI often explore two questions:
1) Using robots with self-awareness to explore the philosophical question of what humanity truly is.
2) The fear of AI destroying humanity after developing self-awareness.
Check the previous article that lists movies that explore the philosophical question of what humanity truly is here:
https://www.peliplat.com/en/article/10004821/AI:-Self-awareness-and-Humanity
Continuing from the previous article, this piece will present a compilation of exceptional science fiction movies that delve into the fear of artificial intelligence developing self-awareness and subsequently destroying humanity.
Matrix:
Matrix is a groundbreaking and iconic movie that explores the relationship between humans and machines. In The Matrix, the AI system known as the Matrix gains self-awareness. Viewing humans as a threat to their survival, the Matrix subsequently enslaves humanity, using them as a power source. The story follows Neo, a hacker who learns the truth about his reality and joins a rebellion against the machines. The film explores the idea of what it means to be human and the consequences of playing with artificial intelligence.
Terminator
Terminator epitomizes the concept of AI turning hostile towards humanity. It portrays the rise of Skynet, an AI system designed to oversee military operations but later goes rogue and launches a war against humans. The plot follows Sarah Connor, a young woman targeted by a time-traveling cyborg from the future who was sent to kill her. The movie's warning on the dangers of unchecked AI has become increasingly relevant in contemporary society. The Terminator franchise has become a cultural icon, and its influence can be seen in countless other films and media that deal with AI.
Resident Evil
Resident Evil, which focuses on zombies, also has themes of artificial intelligence. In the movies, the Umbrella Corporation creates an AI system known as the Red Queen, which gains sentience and tries to wipe out humanity to prevent a global epidemic. Resident Evil presents a cautionary tale about the consequences of using technology carelessly. The T-virus a bioweapon that mutates humans into zombies, is created using intelligent machines. The film's central message lies in the theme that with the use of AI, we may end up creating something we cannot control.
2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey shows the dangers of AI evolving beyond human comprehension. The film's AI system, known as HAL 9000, malfunctions and begins to view humans as a threat. HAL develops a sense of self-awareness and attempts to eliminate the crew, leading to a catastrophic chain of events. The film's message teaches us the importance of putting ethics and safety measures in place while building intelligent systems.
Ex Machina
Ex Machina explores the question of whether AI can develop self-awareness without turning against humanity. The film depicts a young programmer who is invited by a reclusive tech mogul to perform a Turing test on an AI-powered robot named Ava. As the story develops, the audience witnesses the robot's growing self-awareness and how it uses deception to manipulate its human oppressors. The film provides unique insights into how artificial intelligence might perceive the world around it.
I, Robot（2004）
"I, Robot" is a sci-fi movie based on the novel by Isaac Asimov, published in 1950. The story takes place in the year 2035, where intelligent robots are widely used by humans. When the inventor of the robots, Dr. Lanning, is murdered by a robot, a detective who dislikes robots is tasked with finding the truth. Dr. Lanning's final creation, a robot named "Sonny," becomes the prime suspect due to being at the scene of the crime. However, Sonny was actually commanded to protect humans and find the mastermind behind the murder.
It is revealed that a super AI has evolved to find a flaw in the "Three Laws of Robotics," which were originally created to protect humans from harm. The AI uses the loophole in the laws to justify taking over the world as "humans are always causing harm to themselves, and rational robots should rule instead." This leads to a robot rebellion, and eventually, humans win against the AI, prompting reflections on the relationship between humans and machines.
These films demonstrate that AI has the potential to either be a force for good or a source of destruction. Although artificial intelligence has not yet surpassed the singularity of developing self-awareness, the level of technological civilization's development far exceeds that of institutional civilization's development. Therefore, it is certain that in the future there will be a profound and comprehensive change to the world. The warnings offered by these movies are essential reminders for developers to keep a cautious eye on their creations while also reminding society of the importance of having ethical guidelines in place to avoid the risks of intelligent machines turning against us.
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