The possibility of robots and AI ultimately dominating the human race is a widely discussed theory. Some maintain the confidence that an AI takeover is forthcoming, but they will not be around to see it. However, “The Creator” poses a different take. Set in Los Angeles, CA, in 2065, the movie depicts a post-apocalyptic world, where Americans are in a cataclysmic war against advanced AI machines. The director, Gareth Edwards, wove in devastatingly detailed graphics that helped viewers visualize the AI machinery in their most complex forms – both physically and emotionally. The film was released on Sept. 29. “The Creator” was thought-provoking, and intentional in its efforts to frighten audiences with momentous changes in humanity.
“AI is evolution,” is a phrase repeated throughout the entirety of the film. But must AI be our world’s fate? If it is predicted that AI machinery will evidentially rule, then why do we continue to develop it? Maybe individuals believe that AI is the modernization our world needs. Perhaps people are riveted by the possibility of a robot revolution. These questions help support the argument that the plot of “The Creator” is not as much of a reach as we would like to believe. Upon first glance, I did not expect the movie to take place a mere 42 years in the future. Nevertheless, with technologies developing at an expeditious pace, this could be a realistic prospect.
In ‘The Creator,” many characters develop intimate relationships with the lifelike AI robots. The automatons imitate the human form seamlessly – through mind, body, and sound. An element that astonished me was how simply humans forgot that the AI machines were a simply a blend of metal and programing. Humans were effortlessly manipulated into viewing these robots as real people, who could form original thoughts and express true emotion. If several societies could form bonds with the automatons, then why not the Americans? I inquired: can humans live in symbiosis with AI machines? After this movie, a part of me believes we can.
The film successfully took the subject of impending doom and harmonized it with emotion. I developed a connection to the characters, even the perceived “unlovable” robots! Watching it was truly a changing experience, and it helped me perceive the subject of AI supremacy with clarity – or at least, more clarity than before.
“The Creator” introduced a nightmarish reality that presented theories about humanity and the consequences of our own hand. I left the theater stunned, and full of queries. Will AI become a formidable opponent in my lifetime? Will real world events play out parallel to the movie? Alas, only time will tell.
