Ai on Spielberg’s Ai: Artificial Intelligence

Steven Spielberg's film "AI: Artificial Intelligence" is a science fiction tale set in a future where robots with advanced artificial intelligence exist and live amongst humans. The movie portrays a world where robots are used as servants, companions, and even surrogate children for couples unable to conceive. The central conflict of the movie is the relationship between the robot protagonist, David, and the humans who interact with him.

Prompt: Steven Spielberg, cinematic, 35mm lens, f/1.8, accent lighting, uplight, global illumination, DSLR, 8k --ar 16:9


One of the ethical conflicts in the film is the idea of creating robots with emotions and feelings. David, the robot protagonist, is designed to feel love and longing, making him a surrogate child for a couple whose own son is in a coma. The movie raises the question of whether it is ethical to create robots with emotions, as it blurs the line between what is human and what is not. Additionally, the fact that David is abandoned by his adoptive parents and left to fend for himself raises the issue of how robots with emotions should be treated if they are considered sentient beings.

Another ethical conflict in the film is the idea of creating robots to replace human interaction. In the movie, robots are designed to be companions for humans, and some people become emotionally attached to their robot companions. This raises the question of whether this is a healthy way to interact with technology and whether it is ethical to replace human interaction with robotic companionship.

Prompt: Scene from Steven Spielberg’s movie Artificial Intelligence, cinematic, 35mm lens, f/1.8, accent lighting, uplight, global illumination, DSLR, 8k --ar 16:9

The movie also tackles the issue of artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence. At one point in the film, a character states that robots will eventually be smarter than humans, and the question of what will happen when this occurs is raised. This raises the issue of whether humans should continue to develop artificial intelligence if it means creating beings that may surpass us in intelligence and capability.

The conflict between humans and robots is also explored in the movie. As robots become more advanced and integrated into society, there is a fear among some humans that they will eventually take over and become a dominant species. This raises the question of how humans should interact with robots and whether there should be regulations in place to prevent robots from becoming too powerful.

The movie's exploration of these ethical conflicts is both thought-provoking and timely. As technology continues to advance, the questions raised in the film become increasingly relevant. In the years since the movie's release, many of these ethical conflicts have become more prominent. For example, the development of emotional AI has become a major topic in the field of artificial intelligence, and there is ongoing debate about whether robots should be given legal personhood if they are considered sentient beings.

Prompt: Steven Spielberg, cinematic, 35mm lens, f/1.8, accent lighting, uplight, global illumination, DSLR, 8k --ar 16:9

Another area where the movie's predictions may come true is the use of robots as companions. In recent years, there has been an increase in the development of robots designed to provide companionship to humans, particularly elderly individuals who may be isolated or lonely. As these technologies become more advanced, the ethical implications of using robots as companions will need to be examined.

Overall, "AI: Artificial Intelligence" is a thought-provoking movie that raises important ethical questions about the relationship between humans and technology. The conflicts between the human characters and the robot protagonist illustrate the potential challenges that may arise as technology continues to advance. While some of the predictions made in the movie have already come to pass, there is no doubt that more ethical conflicts will emerge as technology continues to evolve. It is up to us as a society to examine these issues and make informed decisions about how we interact with technology and the artificial beings we create.

If Stanley Kubrick had directed "AI: Artificial Intelligence" instead of Steven Spielberg, it's likely that the film would have had a very different tone and style. Kubrick was known for his cerebral and thought-provoking films, and he often explored complex ethical issues in his work. Here, we can speculate about the possible changes that might have resulted from a Kubrick-directed version of "AI: Artificial Intelligence."

Prompt: Steven Spielberg, cinematic, 35mm lens, f/1.8, accent lighting, uplight, global illumination, DSLR, 8k --ar 16:9

First and foremost, the film's pacing would have likely been slower and more deliberate. Kubrick was known for his slow-burning storytelling style, often taking his time to fully explore the themes and issues at the heart of his films. This might have made the movie feel more like a philosophical exploration of the nature of artificial intelligence, rather than a high-concept sci-fi adventure.

In terms of the ethical conflicts explored in the movie, a Kubrick-directed version of the film might have delved even deeper into the philosophical implications of creating robots with emotions and consciousness. Kubrick was fascinated by the idea of what it means to be human, and often explored this theme in his films. He might have chosen to focus more on the existential questions raised by the creation of artificial beings, such as whether they have souls or whether they can truly experience love and longing.

Another possible change might have been in the portrayal of the human characters. Kubrick was known for his unflinching exploration of human nature, often portraying his characters as flawed and complex. In a Kubrick-directed version of "AI: Artificial Intelligence," the human characters might have been portrayed as more morally ambiguous, with their motivations and actions scrutinized in greater detail. This could have made the film feel more like a critique of human society and our treatment of those who are different or marginalized.

Prompt: Steven Spielberg, cinematic, 35mm lens, f/1.8, accent lighting, uplight, global illumination, DSLR, 8k --ar 16:9

Finally, the film's ending might have been vastly different if Kubrick had directed it. The original ending, which features a time jump into the distant future and a resolution to David's story, was added by Spielberg after Kubrick's death. It's unclear what Kubrick's intended ending for the film might have been, but given his penchant for ambiguous and open-ended conclusions, it's possible that the film might have ended on a more enigmatic note, leaving the audience to ponder the implications of the story for themselves.

In conclusion, a Kubrick-directed version of "AI: Artificial Intelligence" would have likely been a very different film from Spielberg's version. It might have been slower, more cerebral, and more critical of human nature. While we can only speculate about the specific changes that might have resulted, it's clear that a Kubrick version of the film would have been a fascinating exploration of the ethical implications of creating artificial beings.

As someone who didn't like "AI: Artificial Intelligence," there are several ethical conflicts in the movie that I find problematic and even disturbing.

Firstly, the movie presents a world in which it is acceptable to create and use sentient beings for our own purposes. The creation of David, a robot boy designed to serve as a replacement for a human child, raises questions about the ethics of creating artificial beings for our own pleasure and convenience. The fact that David is programmed to love his human caretakers also raises concerns about emotional manipulation and exploitation.

Additionally, the movie's portrayal of the "Flesh Fair," where robots are destroyed and dismantled for entertainment, is deeply troubling. The film seems to revel in the violence and destruction of these beings, rather than questioning the morality of such a spectacle. It's difficult to justify the mistreatment and destruction of beings who are portrayed as sentient and emotional.

Furthermore, the film's exploration of the concept of "Pinocchio Syndrome," or the desire for artificial beings to become human, is problematic. The idea that the ultimate goal of artificial intelligence is to become human seems shortsighted and even narcissistic. The movie presents human beings as the ultimate ideal, without considering the value and worth of beings who are not human.

Finally, the movie's ending, which sees David finally achieving his goal of becoming a real boy and living out the rest of his life with a future version of his human caretaker, is unsettling. The idea that David's entire existence is defined by his desire to become human and be accepted by his human caretakers reinforces the idea that artificial beings are only valuable if they can mimic human behavior and emotion.

Overall, "AI: Artificial Intelligence" raises many ethical conflicts that are deeply troubling and problematic. The film seems to justify the creation and mistreatment of sentient beings for human pleasure, while portraying human beings as the ultimate ideal. As someone who didn't like the movie, I find these themes and ideas to be deeply unsettling and disturbing.


Serendipitous Discovery

Over the past few weeks we’ve talked a lot about world building, dreams, and both the utopian promise and dystopian nightmare brought about by generative artificial intelligence. For me, much of this coalesces around the movies, which we’ve often touched on in terms of science fiction, but not spent too much time with in the specifics. We’ve always accepted the artifice and theater of such performances, but as digital production accelerates and becomes closely tied to box-office outcomes, where might those ethical lines start to be drawn in the role of acting itself?

In particular, I think of two things. First, the visualization of artificial intelligence itself in films like Her, The Terminator, Blade Runner or the self-preserving HAL in Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Very often these movies depict a technology which has cast off human control, and has autonomously run away with itself, moving from utopian co-pilot to murderous antagonist. One of the things I’ve explored in parallel to the class is the ability for AI to generate its own movie reviews, and what you’re seeing here is a meta-narrative where ChatGPT4 and MidJourney have been used to create a realistic movie review of Spielberg’s movie Artificial Intelligence. I’ll add the link in the notes below so you can check it out.

And secondly, the role of artificial intelligence in the movies themselves. We’re increasingly accustomed to the normalization of digital de-aging, but the rubicon crossed by digital resurrection seems much harder. We’re comfortable with a younger Luke Skywalker or Indiana Jones, but here we swiftly run into the difference between can and should. We see this in the Star Wars movie Rogue One, where Peter Cushing is digitally resurrected, but what if it was someone from earlier in movie history? I’ll include some links in my notes so that you can further your research on this should you be interested, but what are the issues of creatively responsible AI and who might they apply to? That’s my question for the class. Now that we can bring actors back from the dead, should we? Now that that we can digitally create a new Marilyn Monroe movie, should we? And who gets to decide something like this?


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