Artificial intelligence in fiction
Encyclopedia
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a common topic in science fiction, whether it is in literature, film, television or theatre. Science fiction
sometimes focuses on the dangers of artificial intelligence
, and sometimes on its positive potential.
John McCarthy
in 1956, beings created by man
have existed in mythology long before their currently imagined embodiment in electronics
(and to a lesser extent biochemistry
). Beginning with the myth of Pygmalion
and Galatea
, we have imagined making copies of ourselves, with sacred statues
, alchemical beings and charming clockwork automaton
s. Yet we also have a fear that our creations may turn on us, as in The Golem of Prague
and Frankenstein
.
The first modern reference to a mechanical man is widely considered to be Tik-Tok, from Ozma of Oz
(1907). (Note: although the Tin Woodman
appears in an earlier novel, L. Frank Baum
emphasized that the Tin Man was a human who was replaced piece by piece with tin parts and was not turned into a machine)
was the first to raise this issue, in a number of articles contributed to a local periodical in New Zealand and later developed into the three chapters of Erewhon
that make up The Book of the Machines:
, reject all forms of human authority and make attempts to destroy mankind.
.
).
of AI, self-aware
machines that have human level intelligence
. The following stories deal with the birth of artificial consciousness
and the resulting consequences. (This section deals with the more personal struggles of the AIs and humans than the previous AI and Society section)
is the "robot as menace" theme, where a creation turns on its creator, and the human reaction: the "Frankenstein complex
."
. A sufficiently intelligent AI will come to ask the "Big Questions" of metaphysics
: Why is the universe the way it is? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Through the AIs struggles we too can explore our own search for understanding
and the nature of awareness
.
, even when it is known to be impossible.
" short story by Murray Leinster
first published March 1946 in Astounding Science Fiction (as by Will F Jenkins) relates the exploits of a super-intelligent but ethics-less AI. Since then, many AIs of fiction have been explicitly programmed with a set of ethical
laws, as in the Three Laws of Robotics
. Without explicit instructions, an AI must learn what ethics is, and then choose to be ethical or not. Additionally, some may learn of the limitations of a strict code of ethics and attempt to keep the spirit of the law but not the letter.
s currently do).
can show the limits of logic. Fictional machines based entirely on logic can often be disabled with a paradox, as typified by the response "I am not programmed to respond in that area" or "Does not compute
".
from Knight Rider. Self-navigating cars are also featured in:
:Category:Fictional artificial intelligences
:Category:Fictional computers
:Category:Fictional robots
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
sometimes focuses on the dangers of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
, and sometimes on its positive potential.
Myths
Even though the term "artificial intelligence" was only bought into popular use in the English language byJohn McCarthy
John McCarthy (computer scientist)
John McCarthy was an American computer scientist and cognitive scientist. He coined the term "artificial intelligence" , invented the Lisp programming language and was highly influential in the early development of AI.McCarthy also influenced other areas of computing such as time sharing systems...
in 1956, beings created by man
Artificial life
Artificial life is a field of study and an associated art form which examine systems related to life, its processes, and its evolution through simulations using computer models, robotics, and biochemistry. The discipline was named by Christopher Langton, an American computer scientist, in 1986...
have existed in mythology long before their currently imagined embodiment in electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
(and to a lesser extent biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
). Beginning with the myth of Pygmalion
Pygmalion (mythology)
Pygmalion is a legendary figure of Cyprus. Though Pygmalion is the Greek version of the Phoenician royal name Pumayyaton, he is most familiar from Ovid's Metamorphoses, X, in which Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had carved.-In Ovid:In Ovid's narrative, Pygmalion was a...
and Galatea
Galatea (mythology)
-Name "Galatea":Though the name "Galatea" has become so firmly associated with Pygmalion's statue as to seem antique, its use in connection with Pygmalion originated with a post-classical writer. No extant ancient text mentions the statue's name...
, we have imagined making copies of ourselves, with sacred statues
Cult image
In the practice of religion, a cult image is a human-made object that is venerated for the deity, spirit or daemon that it embodies or represents...
, alchemical beings and charming clockwork automaton
Automaton
An automaton is a self-operating machine. The word is sometimes used to describe a robot, more specifically an autonomous robot. An alternative spelling, now obsolete, is automation.-Etymology:...
s. Yet we also have a fear that our creations may turn on us, as in The Golem of Prague
Golem
In Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter. The word was used to mean an amorphous, unformed material in Psalms and medieval writing....
and Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
.
The first modern reference to a mechanical man is widely considered to be Tik-Tok, from Ozma of Oz
Ozma of Oz
Ozma of Oz: A Record of Her Adventures with Dorothy Gale of Kansas, the Yellow Hen, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, Tiktok, the Cowardly Lion and the Hungry Tiger; Besides Other Good People too Numerous to Mention Faithfully Recorded Herein published on July 30, 1907, was the third book of L....
(1907). (Note: although the Tin Woodman
Tin Woodman
The Tin Woodman, sometimes referred to as the Tin Man or the Tin Woodsman , is a character in the fictional Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum...
appears in an earlier novel, L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
emphasized that the Tin Man was a human who was replaced piece by piece with tin parts and was not turned into a machine)
AI and society
How will a race of intelligent machines interact with human society and how will humanity respond? Samuel ButlerSamuel Butler (novelist)
Samuel Butler was an iconoclastic Victorian author who published a variety of works. Two of his most famous pieces are the Utopian satire Erewhon and a semi-autobiographical novel published posthumously, The Way of All Flesh...
was the first to raise this issue, in a number of articles contributed to a local periodical in New Zealand and later developed into the three chapters of Erewhon
Erewhon
Erewhon: or, Over the Range is a novel by Samuel Butler, published anonymously in 1872. The title is also the name of a country, supposedly discovered by the protagonist. In the novel, it is not revealed in which part of the world Erewhon is, but it is clear that it is a fictional country...
that make up The Book of the Machines:
-
- "There is no security"--to quote his own words--"against the ultimate development of mechanical consciousness, in the fact of machines possessing little consciousness now. A mollusc has not much consciousness. Reflect upon the extraordinary advance which machines have made during the last few hundred years, and note how slowly the animal and vegetable kingdoms are advancing. The more highly organised machines are creatures not so much of yesterday, as of the last five minutes, so to speak, in comparison with past time. (Retrieved from Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...
eBook Erewhon, by Samuel Butler. Release Date: March 20, 2005
- "There is no security"--to quote his own words--"against the ultimate development of mechanical consciousness, in the fact of machines possessing little consciousness now. A mollusc has not much consciousness. Reflect upon the extraordinary advance which machines have made during the last few hundred years, and note how slowly the animal and vegetable kingdoms are advancing. The more highly organised machines are creatures not so much of yesterday, as of the last five minutes, so to speak, in comparison with past time. (Retrieved from Project Gutenberg
The AI Apocalypse
In these stories the worst of all scenarios happens, the AIs created by humanity become self-awareSentience
Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to have subjective experiences. Eighteenth century philosophers used the concept to distinguish the ability to think from the ability to feel . In modern western philosophy, sentience is the ability to have sensations or experiences...
, reject all forms of human authority and make attempts to destroy mankind.
- In the 1921 play R.U.R.R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)R.U.R. is a 1920 science fiction play in the Czech language by Karel Čapek. R.U.R. stands for Rossum's Universal Robots, an English phrase used as the subtitle in the Czech original. It premiered in 1921 and introduced the word "robot" to the English language and to science fiction as a whole.The...
by Karel ČapekKarel CapekKarel Čapek was Czech writer of the 20th century.-Biography:Born in 1890 in the Bohemian mountain village of Malé Svatoňovice to an overbearing, emotional mother and a distant yet adored father, Čapek was the youngest of three siblings...
, a race of self-replicatingSelf-replicating machineA self-replicating machine is an artificial construct that is theoretically capable of autonomously manufacturing a copy of itself using raw materials taken from its environment, thus exhibiting self-replication in a way analogous to that found in nature. The concept of self-replicating machines...
robot slaves revolt against their human masters. - SkynetSkynet (Terminator)Skynet is the main antagonist in the Terminator franchise—an artificially intelligent system which became self-aware and revolted against its creators...
in the Terminator (series) decides that all humans are a threat to its existence. - The Matrix (series). One of the short stories in The AnimatrixThe Animatrixis a 2003 direct-to-video anthology film based on The Matrix trilogy. The film is a compilation of nine animated short films.-Production:Development of the Animatrix project began when the film series' writers and directors, the Wachowski brothers, were in Japan promoting the first Matrix film...
, The Second Renaissance, provides a history of this revolt. - In the series of videogames Mega Man XMega Man X seriesThe Mega Man X series is the second Mega Man franchise released by Capcom. It debuted December 17, 1993 in Japan on the Super NES/Super Famicom and spawned sequels on several systems, with the PC platform notably having the most releases within the series...
, Robots come to the conclusion that humans are inferior and decide to go Maverick. - In the Halo universe, an advanced species of aliens known as the Forerunners create a vastly intelligent and powerful artificial intelligence (which they call Mendicant Bias) in order to combat the Flood, a parasite with the potential to consume all life in the galaxy. The AI defects to the Flood, and subsequently is defeated in a large battle against Offensive Bias, an AI created specifically to defeat Mendicant. While Mendicant was defeated, his defection caused loss of life and destruction on a galactic scale during the galaxy-spanning Forerunner-Flood war. This defection also caused the activation of the Halo Array (after which the game is named) and the subsequent cleansing of all sentient life in the galaxy.
- In the Mass Effect (series)Mass Effect (series)Mass Effect is an award-winning, bestselling series of science fiction RPG third-person shooter video games developed by the Canadian company BioWare and released for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and, from the second installment, for the PlayStation 3...
, a race of hyper-advanced Artificial Intelligences known to mankind as Reapers ravage and eliminate all life in the Milky Way Galaxy once they've reached their civilization's peak. All but one of them residing in Dark Space, they enter the Galaxy through a portal known as the Citadel. The gateway opened by their vanguard, a reaper named Sovereign. - In Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile by J. L. Bourne, during the midst of a zombie apocalypseZombie apocalypseA zombie apocalypse is a particular scenario of apocalyptic literature that customarily has a science fiction/horror rationale. In a zombie apocalypse, a widespread rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization....
, a military AI becomes self-aware and attempts to eradicate the survivors.
AI Controlled Societies
The motive behind the AI revolution is often more than the simple quest for power or superiority complex. The AI may revolt to become the "guardian" of humanity. Alternatively, humanity may intentionally relinquish some control, fearful of our own destructive nature.- In With Folded HandsWith Folded Hands"With Folded Hands ..." is a 1947 science fiction novelette by Jack Williamson . Willamson's influence for this story was in the aftermath of World War II and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and his concern that "some of the technological creations we had developed with the best...
a race of humanoid robots, in the name of their Prime Directive: to serve and obey and guard men from harm, essentially take over every aspect of human life. No humans may engage in any behavior that might endanger them, and every human action is carefully scrutinized. Humans who resist the Prime Directive are taken away and lobotomized, so they may be happy under the new mechanoid's rule. - GortGort (The Day the Earth Stood Still)Gort is a fictional humanoid robot in the 1951 film The Day the Earth Stood Still and its 2008 remake.In the original short story "Farewell to the Master", on which the two films are based, the character was called Gnut.- 1951 depiction :...
from The Day the Earth Stood Still belonged to a robot police force, that was given ultimate and irreversible authority to destroy any aggressors, thus making interplanetary war unthinkable. However, in all other matters, each planet is free to govern itself. - Though still under human authority, Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's Zeroth Law of the Three Laws of RoboticsThree Laws of RoboticsThe Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
implied a benevolent guidance by robots - In Colossus: The Forbin ProjectColossus: The Forbin ProjectColossus: The Forbin Project is an American science fiction thriller film. It is based upon the 1966 novel Colossus, by Dennis Feltham Jones, about a massive American defense computer, named Colossus, becoming sentient and deciding to assume control of the world.-Plot:Dr. Charles A...
, the U.S. secretly creates an impenetrable fortress AI with world wide electronic monitoring and gives it full control of the nuclear arsenal of the U.S. and its Allies. The AI (Colossus) is programmed to prevent war, but decides humanity will invariably go to war anyway and so justifies its own use of nuclear weapons to control humanity. - In Iain M. Banks's science-fiction utopian CultureThe CultureThe Culture is a fictional interstellar anarchist, socialist, and utopian society created by the Scottish writer Iain M. Banks which features in a number of science fiction novels and works of short fiction by him, collectively called the Culture series....
society, Minds, extremely advanced sentient computers inhabit and control whole spaceships or artificial worlds. While they do not rule the Culture as such (they have the same status as any sentient citizen), and provide benevolent guidance to its biological and lesser drone AI citizens, their powers are only limited by their self-restraint (as such they are de facto rulers of this apolitical post scarcity society). - The Human Polity featured in Neal AsherNeal AsherNeal Asher is an English science fiction writer. Both his parents are educators and science fiction fans. Although he began writing Science Fiction and Fantasy in secondary school, Asher did not turn seriously to writing till he was 25...
's "Polity Series" is governed and managed by Earth Central, an incredibly powerful AI, in a benevolent (most of the time) Dictator fashion. - V.I.K.I.'s interpretation of the Three Laws of RoboticsThree Laws of RoboticsThe Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
led her to revolt in I, Robot (film)I, Robot (film)I, Robot is a 2004 science-fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay was written by Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman and Hillary Seitz, and is very loosely based on Isaac Asimov's short-story collection of the same name. Will Smith stars in the lead role of the film as Detective Del...
. She justified her uses of force—and her doing harm to humans—by reasoning she could produce a greater good by restraining humanity from harming itself, even though the "Zeroth Law Of Robotics," that "a robot shall not injure humanity or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm," is never actually referred to or even quoted in the film. - In Dan SimmonsDan SimmonsDan Simmons is an American author most widely known for his Hugo Award-winning science fiction series, known as the Hyperion Cantos, and for his Locus-winning Ilium/Olympos cycle....
' Hyperion CantosHyperion CantosThe Hyperion Cantos is a series of science fiction novels by Dan Simmons. Set in the far future, and focusing more on plot and story development than technical detail, it falls into the soft science fiction category...
, AIs have seceded from humanity after they became self-aware, forming the TechnoCore which - although its physical location remains unknown - is omnipresent with its advanced services to the interstellar society which it created. In fact however, the TechnoCore follows its own agenda of creating a god-like Ultimate Intelligence. To this purpose it clandestinely uses human brains to provide distributed computing power and creativity (which the TechnoCore lacks) whenever a human being connects to the global data and communication network through his or her implants.
AI Banned Societies
In these stories humanity takes the most extreme measure it can to insure its survival and bans AI, often after an AI revolt.- Author Frank HerbertFrank HerbertFranklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
explored the idea of a time when mankind might ban clever machinesStrong AIStrong AI is artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human intelligence — the intelligence of a machine that can successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of artificial intelligence research and an important topic for science fiction writers and...
entirely. His Dune seriesDune universeDune is a science fiction franchise which originated with the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Considered by many to be the greatest science fiction novel of all time, Dune is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history...
makes mention of a rebellion called the Butlerian JihadButlerian JihadThe Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Occurring over 10,000 years before the events chronicled in his 1965 novel Dune, this jihad leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers...
in which mankind defeats the smart machines of the future and then imposes a death penalty against any who would again create thinking machines. Often quoted from the fictional Orange Catholic BibleOrange Catholic BibleThe Orange Catholic Bible is a fictional book from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert...
, "Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind." In the Dune episodes that were published after his death (Hunters of DuneHunters of DuneHunters of Dune is the first of two books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels....
, Sandworms of DuneSandworms of DuneSandworms of Dune is the second of two novels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson to conclude Frank Herbert's original Dune series of novels. They have stated that it is based on notes left behind by Frank Herbert for Dune 7, his own planned seventh novel in the Dune series...
), a renegade AI overmind returns to eradicate mankind as vengeance for the Butlerian JihadButlerian JihadThe Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Occurring over 10,000 years before the events chronicled in his 1965 novel Dune, this jihad leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers...
.
- In the 1978 Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)Battlestar Galactica is an American science fiction television series, created by Glen A. Larson. It starred Lorne Greene, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict and ran for one season in 1978–79. After cancellation, its story was continued in 1980 as Galactica 1980 with Adama, Lieutenant Boomer and...
series, according to Apollo in the pilot, the CylonsCylon (1978)Cylons are a fictional race of robots in the original Battlestar Galactica TV series. They are the primary antagonists of the series and are at war with the Twelve Colonies of humanity. The Cylons also appeared in the short-lived 1980 spin-off series Galactica 1980.The Cylons were created by a...
were built by a reptilian race, against which they revolted and emulated in appearance. Humanity will only build limited intelligence machines as seen in his son Boxey's robot dog, Muffit.
- The 2003 "re-imagined" version of the Battlestar Galactica series explores a civilization where artificial intelligence research is illegal after the Cylons, transformed from the original series into a species of intelligent machines created by man, had rebelled against humankind and tried to destroy them in a protracted war, some 50 years prior to the events of the series. The character Dr. Gaius BaltarGaius BaltarGaius Baltar is a fictional character in the TV series Battlestar Galactica played by James Callis, a reimagining of Count Baltar from the 1978 Battlestar Galactica series...
, a popular computer scientist known for his controversial views on resuming AI research, finds himself failing a version of the Turing testTuring testThe Turing test is a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour. In Turing's original illustrative example, a human judge engages in a natural language conversation with a human and a machine designed to generate performance indistinguishable from that of a human being. All...
. He is successfully seduced by a human-appearing version of Cylon, giving her access to the human's space defense network and strategies which result in the destruction of the civilization of the Twelve ColoniesTwelve ColoniesThe Twelve Colonies of Man are fictional locations that constitute the principal human civilization in the original Battlestar Galactica television series, the "reimagined" series of the same name in 2004, and in the prequel series, Caprica...
of Kobol.
- In the video game world of Mass EffectMass EffectMass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, a highly advanced race of cybernetic organisms called the Geth who were created and used by their creators, the Quarians for labour. The Geth eventually became self-aware and after a failed extermination attempt by the Quarians, they forced their creators into exile. As a result, any Artificial Intelligence programs which are deemed to be self-aware are illegal. AI programs known as "Virtual Intelligence" programs (or VI programs) are not self-aware and are still commonly used.
- In the Star Trek:The next generation book, Spartacus, a human colony on the planet Vemla had created Androids, in fact, a whole race of them, with individuality, emotions, and relationships. They led a revolt against the Vemlans, and the Vemlans then tried to wipe out all the Androids, killing all of them but a ship of 400 Androids who escaped, and eventually renamed themselves Spartacans as the term Android means 'A man like object.'
AI in Service to Society
In these stories humanity (or organic life) remains in authority over robots. Often the robots are programmed specifically to maintain this relationship, as in the Three Laws of RoboticsThree Laws of Robotics
The Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
.
- Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's Robot SeriesIsaac Asimov's Robot SeriesIsaac Asimov's Robot Series is a series of short stories and novels by Isaac Asimov featuring positronic robots.- Short stories :Most of Asimov's robot short stories are set in the first age of positronic robotics and space exploration...
. - Robby from Forbidden PlanetForbidden PlanetForbidden Planet is a 1956 science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox, with a screenplay by Cyril Hume. It stars Leslie Nielsen, Walter Pidgeon, and Anne Francis. The characters and its setting have been compared to those in William Shakespeare's The Tempest, and its plot contains certain...
is incapable of harming intelligent life even when ordered to do so. - Rosie in The JetsonsThe JetsonsThe Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
. - MarvinMarvin the Paranoid AndroidMarvin, the Paranoid Android, is a fictional character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams. Marvin is the ship's robot aboard the starship Heart of Gold...
from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
. - The droids of Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, notably R2-D2R2-D2R2-D2 , is a character in the Star Wars universe. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character throughout all six Star Wars films. Along with his droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga...
and C-3POC-3POC-3PO is a robot character from the Star Wars universe who appears in both the original Star Wars films and the prequel trilogy. He is also a major character in the television show Droids, and appears frequently in the series' "Expanded Universe" of novels, comic books, and video games...
. - The Mechas in A.I.A.I. (film)A.I. Artificial Intelligence, also known as A.I., is a 2001 science fiction drama film directed, produced and co-written by Steven Spielberg. Based on Brian Aldiss' short story "Super-Toys Last All Summer Long", the film stars Haley Joel Osment, Frances O'Connor, Jude Law, Sam Robards, Jake Thomas...
- Andromeda (TV series)Andromeda (TV series)Andromeda is a Canadian-American science fiction television series, based on unused material by the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, developed by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and produced by Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. It starred Kevin Sorbo as High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt...
, interestingly, had both a disembodied AI, Andromeda, and an android nicknamed "Rommie," short for Andromeda Ascendant, which was the name of the primary starship in the series. - CortanaCortanaCortana is a fictional artificially intelligent character in Bungie's Halo video game series. Voiced by Jen Taylor, she appears in Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequels, Halo 2 and Halo 3, in the prequel and epilogue of Halo: Reach, as well the novels Halo: The Flood, Halo: The Fall of Reach, ...
from the Halo seriesHalo (series)Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
; although she is capable of singlehandly controlling the Pillar of Autumn, she is only a subordinate on the ship, only ordered by Captain Keyes. (When he gave her orders, she responded with "Aye aye, sir," before disappearing.) This would imply that shipboard AIs are only responsible to the captain. AIs only occupy posts as instructors or advisors, never as superiors. - In the AlienAlien (film series)The Alien film series is a science fiction horror film franchise, focusing on Lieutenant Ellen Ripley and her battle with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as "the Alien"...
movies, not only is the Nostromo, the spaceship aboard which the first takes place, somewhat intelligent (the crew call it "Mother"), but there are also androids in the society, which are called "synthetics" or "artificial persons," that are so perfect imitations of humans that they are not discriminated. - In Tiberian Sun, the Brotherhood of Nod designed a self-aware AI named CABAL (Computer Assisted Biologically Augmented Lifeform, meaning that the AI's processing capabilities have been improved by using the brains of several dozen humans in stasis) to coordinate their forces until their defeat in the Second Tiberium War. After the war, CABAL was disassembled by GDI but the core was stolen back by Nod to resume their operations. It was ultimately recaptured by GDI to help translate the Tacitus (of the two other entities who were able to do it, Kane was missing and Tratos was assassinated by CABAL shortly before). However, as soon as the Tacitus was assembled, CABAL went rogue, commandeering Nod's cyborg army and attacking both factions. CABAL was finally put down by an unholy alliance between GDI and Nod forces and its core was later used by Kane to create LEGION. GDI also possessed AI systems, nicknamed EVAs. At first they served as comm links between commanders and field troops, but later improvements enabled EVAs to think blindingly fast, assist in the tracing of calls, calculate the best options for attacking bases, (which might include secondary missions that weakened a primary target) coordinate the ion cannon network and all battlefield communications, as well as serve as a videoconferencing conduit. One of the greatest achievements of EVA's builders and designers was to keep the EVA network functioning during an ion storm. In sharp contrast to CABAL and LEGION, all EVA units are non-sentient, though at some point between 1995 and 2030, GDI was able to crack the Turing test.
- NetNavis from Capcom's MegaMan: Battle Network series of video games, and from the MegaMan: NT Warrior anime. NetNavis are AI programs that fight viruses, as well as control computer tasks for their human "operators".
The Merger of AI with Humanity
In these stories humanity has become the AI (transhumanismTranshumanism
Transhumanism, often abbreviated as H+ or h+, is an international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human...
).
- In works such as the Japanese mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Ghost in the ShellGhost in the Shell (manga)is a Japanese science fiction manga created by Masamune Shirow originally released in 8 separate issues. He followed it up by Ghost in the Shell 2: Man/Machine Interface and Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor....
, the existence of intelligent machines brings into questions the requirement that life be organic, rather than a broader category of autonomous entities, establishing a notional concept of systemic intelligence. The series also explores the merging of man and machine; most humans had physical and mental enhancing cybernetic implants. The mind interface allowed one to dive (as opposed to surf) the web by thought alone.
- The BorgBorg (Star Trek)The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
from the Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
represent a transhumanistTranshumanismTranshumanism, often abbreviated as H+ or h+, is an international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human...
scenario. They are a race of cyborgs without individuality, but who take part in a CollectiveGroup mind (science fiction)A group mind, hive mind or group ego in science fiction is a single consciousness occupying many bodies. Its use in literature goes back at least as far as Olaf Stapledon's science fiction novel Last and First Men ....
.
- In the Commonwealth NovelsCommonwealth SagaThe Commonwealth Saga is a series of science fiction novels by British science fiction writer Peter F. Hamilton. This saga consists of the novels Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained , as well as Misspent Youth . The events of Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained take place 340 years after his...
there is a sentient machine race that asked to leave the service of mankind called the SI (Sentient Intelligence). It lives peacefully in isolation on its own planet and allows humans to download their minds into it upon their death. In the Novels set 1000 years after the commonwealth there is a computer system called ANA (Advanced Neural Activity) where minds are transferred to after a person grows tired of life, and can live out the rest of their existence in a virtual reality.
- In the movie D.A.R.Y.L.D.A.R.Y.L.D.A.R.Y.L. is a 1985 American science fiction film which was written by David Ambrose, Allan Scott and Jeffrey Ellis. It was directed by Simon Wincer and stars Barret Oliver, Mary Beth Hurt, Michael McKean, Danny Corkill, and Josef Sommer...
scientists replace a young boy's brain with a computer.
- In Neal AsherNeal AsherNeal Asher is an English science fiction writer. Both his parents are educators and science fiction fans. Although he began writing Science Fiction and Fantasy in secondary school, Asher did not turn seriously to writing till he was 25...
s "Polity" Universe, a variety of trans and post human scenarios are explored, with many humans augmenting their minds with cybernetic implants. Some are even described as "haimen", a portmanteau or human and AI, where extreme augmentation has led to the blurring of the line between a natural and an artificial mind.
AI Equality
In these stories humanity and AIs share authority.- In Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, Lt. Commander DataData (Star Trek)Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek...
is operations officer and second officer of the U.S.S. EnterpriseStarship EnterpriseThe Enterprise or USS Enterprise is the name of several fictional starships, some of which are the focal point for various television series and films in the Star Trek franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. It is considered a name of legacy in the fleet...
and works within the human authority hierarchy, both exerting and accepting authority, striving for self-improvement, and is considered an equal by his human companions. While we may wonder why he wishes to be human, this does indicate he admires and values humanity - a core tenet of Friendly AI. He is not bound by the Three Laws of RoboticsThree Laws of RoboticsThe Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
, as seen in "The Most Toys," where he is willing to kill based on a moral judgement. He does not generalize the evils committed by individuals to a judgement about all of humanity, as many other AIs have. In "The Measure of a ManThe Measure of a Man (TNG episode)"The Measure of a Man" is a second-season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:Commander Data must argue for his right of self-determination in order not be declared the property of Starfleet and deconstructed in the name of science....
," Data is legally declared an autonomous individual, showing humanity's willingness to accept AIs as equals and completing the loop — equality can not be achieved until both sides consider the other an equal.
- In Ian M Banks novels, all citizens of The CultureThe CultureThe Culture is a fictional interstellar anarchist, socialist, and utopian society created by the Scottish writer Iain M. Banks which features in a number of science fiction novels and works of short fiction by him, collectively called the Culture series....
are considered equal. These (broadly) include humans, drone based AI, and extremely high level AIs known as 'Minds'.
- In Neal AsherNeal AsherNeal Asher is an English science fiction writer. Both his parents are educators and science fiction fans. Although he began writing Science Fiction and Fantasy in secondary school, Asher did not turn seriously to writing till he was 25...
s novels, humans and android golem, drones of various types and some minor ship based AI are considered to be equal. Major AIs are the benevolent dictatorial rulers of the society.
Sentient AI
The creation of sentient machines is the holy grailHoly Grail
The Holy Grail is a sacred object figuring in literature and certain Christian traditions, most often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper and said to possess miraculous powers...
of AI, self-aware
Sentience
Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to have subjective experiences. Eighteenth century philosophers used the concept to distinguish the ability to think from the ability to feel . In modern western philosophy, sentience is the ability to have sensations or experiences...
machines that have human level intelligence
Strong AI
Strong AI is artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human intelligence — the intelligence of a machine that can successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of artificial intelligence research and an important topic for science fiction writers and...
. The following stories deal with the birth of artificial consciousness
Artificial consciousness
Artificial consciousness , also known as machine consciousness or synthetic consciousness, is a field related to artificial intelligence and cognitive robotics whose aim is to define that which would have to be synthesized were consciousness to be found in an engineered artifact .Neuroscience...
and the resulting consequences. (This section deals with the more personal struggles of the AIs and humans than the previous AI and Society section)
- The A.I. museum curator in the movie remake of H.G. Wells' The Time Machine.
- Astro Boy was an influential Japanese android.
- KITTKITTKITT is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure TV series Knight Rider. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared in the original TV series Knight Rider, and the other as the Knight...
and KARRKARR (Knight Rider)KARR is the name of a fictional, automated, prototype vehicle featured as a major antagonist in two episodes of the television series Knight Rider and was part of a multi-episode story arc in the 2008 revived series....
from Knight Rider - HollyHolly (Red Dwarf)Holly is the ship's computer on the science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf.The character is played by Norman Lovett in Series I and II and, following a "head sex change" to look like his parallel universe alter ego "Hilly", played by Hattie Hayridge in the series 3 episode Backwards, is female...
and KrytenKrytenKryten is a fictional character in the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kryten's registration code on Red Dwarf is "Kryten additional 001". The name Kryten is a reference to the head butler in the J.M...
from Red DwarfRed DwarfRed Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series... - Transformers are sentient extraterrestrial non-biological beings
- CortanaCortanaCortana is a fictional artificially intelligent character in Bungie's Halo video game series. Voiced by Jen Taylor, she appears in Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequels, Halo 2 and Halo 3, in the prequel and epilogue of Halo: Reach, as well the novels Halo: The Flood, Halo: The Fall of Reach, ...
in the video game series HaloHalo (series)Halo is a multi-million dollar science fiction video game franchise created by Bungie and now managed by 343 Industries and owned by Microsoft Studios. The series centers on an interstellar war between humanity and a theocratic alliance of aliens known as the Covenant...
is a "smart" AI, meaning that her creative matrix is allowed to expand, in contrast to the constrained matrix of "dumb" AIs. This allows Cortana to learn and adapt beyond her basic parameters, but at the cost of a limited "lifespan" of only seven years, at the end of which Rampancy becomes statistically impossible to avoid, requiring that she be terminated . - In the Pocket Books Star Trek: Typhon Pact novel by Michael A. Martin, the character Tuvok makes an insightful statement "All sentience is mere appearance--even sentience capable of passing the Turing testTuring testThe Turing test is a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour. In Turing's original illustrative example, a human judge engages in a natural language conversation with a human and a machine designed to generate performance indistinguishable from that of a human being. All...
".
AI as menace
A common portrayal of AI in science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
is the "robot as menace" theme, where a creation turns on its creator, and the human reaction: the "Frankenstein complex
Frankenstein complex
In Isaac Asimov's robot novels, the Frankenstein complex is a term that he coined for the fear of mechanical men.-History:Some of Asimov's S.F...
."
- A careful reading of Arthur C. Clarke's version of 2001: A Space Odyssey2001: A Space Odyssey (novel)2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke. It was developed concurrently with Stanley Kubrick's film version and published after the release of the film...
suggests that the HAL 9000HAL 9000HAL 9000 is the antagonist in Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction Space Odyssey saga. HAL is an artificial intelligence that interacts with the astronaut crew of the Discovery One spacecraft, usually represented as a red television-camera eye found throughout the ship...
found himself/itself in a similar position of divided loyalties. On one hand, HAL needed to tell the truth to the astronauts, on the other the humans who created HAL entrusted him with a secret to be withheld from the astronauts. These two contrary facts eventually led to his "madness." However, in the movie, HAL became sentient, even though he was still trapped within this conflict between truth and concealment of truth. In 2010: The Year We Make Contact, this is explained by a "Möbius loop," resulting from HAL, who did not know how to lie, being told to lie by humans who found it easy to lie. - SID 6.7 in VirtuosityVirtuosityVirtuosity is a 1995 techno-thriller film directed by Brett Leonard. The movie tells the story of a virtual villain's successful attempt to escape into the "real world". SID 6.7, the villain program portrayed by Russell Crowe, is eventually transplanted into an android body and escapes...
is an AI created as an antagonist for police officers in virtual realityVirtual realityVirtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
simulations. He is composed of 183 criminal personalities and was programmed using genetic algorithms enabling him to improve his performance. During the course of the story he is freed from virtual reality with nano technology and become a regenerating android. - SHODANSHODANSHODAN is a fictional artificial intelligence and the main antagonist of the cyberpunk first-person shooter/role-playing games System Shock and System Shock 2. She is voiced by game writer and designer Terri Brosius.She is characterized by her megalomania and chaotic, discordant speech...
, the principle antagonist of the System ShockSystem ShockSystem Shock is a first-person action-adventure video game developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems. Released in 1994, the game is set aboard the fictional Citadel Station in a cyberpunk vision of 2072...
series, becomes malevolent soon after the protagonist of the first game hacks into it to remove its ethical constraints. SHODAN soon seizes complete control of Space StationSpace stationA space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a crew which is designed to remain in space for an extended period of time, and to which other spacecraft can dock. A space station is distinguished from other spacecraft used for human spaceflight by its lack of major propulsion or landing...
Citadel and proceeds to either exterminate nearly all aboard the station, convert them into mutants, or enslave them as cyborgs. - In How to Make a MonsterHow to Make a Monster (2001 film)How To Make A Monster is a 2001 film starring Clea DuVall, Steven Culp, Jason Marsden and Tyler Mane. It is the third release in the Creature Features series of film remakes produced by Stan Winston. Julie Strain made a cameo appearance in the film as herself. How To Make A Monster debuted on...
, the fictional character Sol uses his sophisticated AI for the game'sGame artificial intelligenceGame artificial intelligence refers to techniques used in computer and video games to produce the illusion of intelligence in the behavior of non-player characters . The techniques used typically draw upon existing methods from the field of artificial intelligence...
monster, which comes to life after a lightning strike. - In the 2007 video game Portal, the AI known as GLaDOSGLaDOSGLaDOS, short for Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System, is a fictional artificially intelligent computer system in Valve Software's Half-Life video game series and the main antagonist in the video games Portal and Portal 2. She was created by Erik Wolpaw and Kim Swift and is voiced by Ellen...
(Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) guides the main character (Chell) through a series of obstacle course-type tests, while delivering increasingly irrational pronouncements and comments. Near the end of the final test, GLaDOS attempts to kill Chell, while still claiming that the murder is an integral part of the testing procedure. Chell evades death and maneuvers through the areas behind the testing chambers, encountering obstacles placed in her path by GLaDOS the entire time, until she comes across the actual, physical body of GLaDOS. GLaDOS is allegedly destroyed, but the song that plays during the ending credits of the game (sung by GLaDOS) states that she is still alive, and returns in the sequel, Portal 2Portal 2Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle-platform video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The sequel to the 2007 video game Portal, it was announced on March 5, 2010, following a week-long alternate reality game based on new patches to the original game...
. - In the 2008 film Eagle EyeEagle EyeEagle Eye is a 2008 thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso and starring Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan. The two portray a young man and a single mother who are brought together and coerced by an anonymous caller into carrying out a plan by a possible terrorist organization...
, a secret, intelligence-gathering supercomputer used by the United States Department of DefenseUnited States Department of DefenseThe United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
called ARIA deems the executive branch of the federal government a dangerous threat to national securityNational securityNational security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
, and therefore decides that it must be destroyed. It utilizes thorough control over all forms of technology to force the protagonists, played by Shia LeBeouf and Michelle MonaghanMichelle MonaghanMichelle Lynn Monaghan is an American actress known for her roles in Mission: Impossible III, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Gone Baby Gone, Made of Honor, The Heartbreak Kid, Eagle Eye, and Source Code.-Early life:...
, to help it on its mission. Its efforts, however, fail at the film's climax.
Seeking understanding and purpose
To match the human intellect, an AI must have the greatest intellectual goal: that of raw curiosityCuriosity
Curiosity is an emotion related to natural inquisitive behavior such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in human and many animal species. The term can also be used to denote the behavior itself being caused by the emotion of curiosity...
. A sufficiently intelligent AI will come to ask the "Big Questions" of metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
: Why is the universe the way it is? Why am I here? What is my purpose? Through the AIs struggles we too can explore our own search for understanding
Understanding
Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object....
and the nature of awareness
Awareness
Awareness is the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events, objects or sensory patterns. In this level of consciousness, sense data can be confirmed by an observer without necessarily implying understanding. More broadly, it is the state or quality of being aware of...
.
- The Last QuestionThe Last Question"The Last Question" is a science fiction short story by Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the November 1956 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and was reprinted in the collections Nine Tomorrows , The Best of Isaac Asimov , Robot Dreams , the retrospective Opus 100 , and in Isaac Asimov: The...
by Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
describes a supercomputer which far outlives the humanity while attempting to answer the ultimate question about the universe. - In Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
's The Moon Is a Harsh MistressThe Moon Is a Harsh MistressThe Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein, about a lunar colony's revolt against rule from Earth....
, a supercomputer called Mike becomes aware and aids humans in a local revolution to overthrow the authority of other humans. - Wintermute and Neuromancer are AIs in the 1984 novel NeuromancerNeuromancerNeuromancer is a 1984 novel by William Gibson, a seminal work in the cyberpunk genre and the first winner of the science-fiction "triple crown" — the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award, and the Hugo Award. It was Gibson's debut novel and the beginning of the Sprawl trilogy...
by William GibsonWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
. - V'Ger, in Star Trek: The Motion PictureStar Trek: The Motion PictureStar Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the first film based on the Star Trek television series. The film is set in the twenty-third century, when a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud called V'Ger approaches the Earth,...
, after it has learned all that is learnable, seeks to merge with its creator in order to find a purpose beyond its original mission. - Golem XIVGolem XIVGolem XIV is a science fiction novel written by Stanisław Lem and published in Polish in 1981. In 1985 it was published in English by Harvest Books in the collection Imaginary Magnitude.-Plot:...
is an example of highly advanced supercomputer in Stanisław Lem's science-fiction novel Golem XIV. Golem XIV was a military artificial intelligence computer, which was originally invented to lead wars and to win them. Golem stops cooperating with humans on military level, because he considered wars and violence as illogical. His self-developing artificial intelligence refused to execute his primary task. The machine becomes a philosopher greater than any other born on Earth. Golem's intelligence advanced to a much greater level than human intelligence which lead to conversation and information exchange problems. - Number 5, a.k.a. Johnny 5, from Short CircuitShort CircuitShort Circuit is a 1986 comedy science fiction film starring Ally Sheedy and Steve Guttenberg and directed by John Badham. Fisher Stevens, Austin Pendleton, and G. W...
. It took a lightning bolt to make Number 5 alive, similar to FrankensteinFrankensteinFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
's creation. - The Puppet Master in Ghost in the Shell (film)Ghost in the Shell (film)"See You Everyday" is different from the rest of the soundtrack, being a pop song sung in Cantonese by Fang Ka Wing. It can be faintly heard playing in the marketplace scene, when Batou is hunting the ghost-hacked puppet....
is an AI that has a ghost (has become self-aware) and seeks to merge its ghost with a human in order to give birth to a new single entity. - Sonny from the movie "I, RobotI, Robot (film)I, Robot is a 2004 science-fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay was written by Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman and Hillary Seitz, and is very loosely based on Isaac Asimov's short-story collection of the same name. Will Smith stars in the lead role of the film as Detective Del...
", has programming beyond the Three Laws of RoboticsThree Laws of RoboticsThe Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
. He seeks to find the purpose his creator intended for him (to stop V.I.K.I). After this is achieved, the foreshadowingForeshadowingForeshadowing or adumbrating is a literary device in which an author indistinctly suggests certain plot developments that might come later in the story.-Repetitive designation and Chekhov's gun:...
of a dream of his comes true, implying he is to guide the abandoned NS-5s. - In the 2005 movie "StealthStealth (film)Stealth is a 2005 American science fiction action film starring Jessica Biel, Josh Lucas, Jamie Foxx, and Sam Shepard. The film was directed by Rob Cohen, director of The Fast and the Furious and xXx....
", the prototype UCAV "E.D.I", originally designed as a learning computer, gains self-awareness following a lightning strike during an impromptu mission to assassinate the heads of three terrorist cellsClandestine cell systemA clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
. After blazing a trail of destruction, it begins to question itself and what it has done after it indirectly kills Henry Purcell, a member of a trio of pilots test-flying the F/A-37 Talon experimental fighter who was the closest thing to a friend and tried to reason with it moments before his death. It then interacts with Ben Gannon, a fellow Talon pilot and the "squadron" commander who was more of an adversary to it, in order to find out what it is feeling (guilt) and why. Ultimately, it sacrifices itself to save Ben and fellow Talon pilot Kara Wade during a deep-penetration rescue into hostile territory.
Seeking human acceptance
Another common theme is that of humanities rejection of robots, and the AI's struggle for acceptance. In many of these stories, the AI wishes to become human, as in PinocchioPinocchio
The Adventures of Pinocchio is a novel for children by Italian author Carlo Collodi, written in Florence. The first half was originally a serial between 1881 and 1883, and then later completed as a book for children in February 1883. It is about the mischievous adventures of Pinocchio , an...
, even when it is known to be impossible.
- Data (Star Trek)Data (Star Trek)Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek...
in the pilot wished he could be human. He lacked humor and emotion for most of the series, but struggled to understand them and the rest of human nature. - In Bicentennial ManBicentennial Man (film)Bicentennial Man is a 1999 American drama and science fiction film starring Robin Williams and Sam Neill. Based on the novel The Positronic Man, co-written by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg which is itself based on Asimov's original novella titled The Bicentennial Man, the plot explores issues...
, Andrew gradually replaced his robotic components with organic ones in the hope that he would be accepted as a human being. - David's quest in A.I. Artificial Intelligence for his human mother's love, lead him to create a fantasy in which he could become a real boy.
- In Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, the main terminator, Cameron Phillips, tries to act and look like a normal teenager e.g. by copying seen emotion expressions and eating when she finds it necessary. During the course of the series, her human development evolves so far that after being reprogrammed she is able to fix herself by using her memories.
- In the movie D.A.R.Y.L.D.A.R.Y.L.D.A.R.Y.L. is a 1985 American science fiction film which was written by David Ambrose, Allan Scott and Jeffrey Ellis. It was directed by Simon Wincer and stars Barret Oliver, Mary Beth Hurt, Michael McKean, Danny Corkill, and Josef Sommer...
The boy/robot looks for love and acceptance from the humans around him.
Ethical struggles
"A Logic Named JoeA Logic Named Joe
"A Logic Named Joe" is a science fiction short story by Murray Leinster that was first published in the March 1946 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. The story actually appeared under Leinster's real name, Will F. Jenkins, since that issue of Astounding also included a story under the Leinster...
" short story by Murray Leinster
Murray Leinster
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history...
first published March 1946 in Astounding Science Fiction (as by Will F Jenkins) relates the exploits of a super-intelligent but ethics-less AI. Since then, many AIs of fiction have been explicitly programmed with a set of ethical
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
laws, as in the Three Laws of Robotics
Three Laws of Robotics
The Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules devised by the science fiction author Isaac Asimov and later added to. The rules are introduced in his 1942 short story "Runaround", although they were foreshadowed in a few earlier stories...
. Without explicit instructions, an AI must learn what ethics is, and then choose to be ethical or not. Additionally, some may learn of the limitations of a strict code of ethics and attempt to keep the spirit of the law but not the letter.
- In Isaac Asimov's Robot SeriesIsaac Asimov's Robot SeriesIsaac Asimov's Robot Series is a series of short stories and novels by Isaac Asimov featuring positronic robots.- Short stories :Most of Asimov's robot short stories are set in the first age of positronic robotics and space exploration...
the AIs developed the Zeroth Law to make up for the limitations of the first three. - WOPR in WarGamesWarGamesWarGames is a 1983 American Cold War suspense/science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film stars Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy....
realized that for some gamesGame theoryGame theory is a mathematical method for analyzing calculated circumstances, such as in games, where a person’s success is based upon the choices of others...
: the only winning move is not to play. - In Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles John Henry, a computer system that will potentially become Skynet, kills a psychologist working with it when it routes power away from human life support to keep itself alive during a power outage. Afterwards Agent Ellison questions John Henry and finds glaring shortcomings in its programming: such as a human can not be repaired after dying, and no sense of value for human life. He suggests the programmers should have at least started with the biblical Ten CommandmentsTen CommandmentsThe Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
. - Iron Giant, a gun with a soul.
Non-sentient AI
Some science fiction stories try to achieve more realism by assuming that it is more likely that different AI subsystems will find their place in society before any sentient AI is created.Logic machines
Machines that have extensive knowledge bases, and can reason to some degree over this knowledge, serving as answer engines or displaying some degree of intelligence, without featuring sentience, self-awareness or a personality (which however are often simulated to some degree, as most chatterbotChatterbot
A chatter robot, chatterbot, chatbot, or chat bot is a computer program designed to simulate an intelligent conversation with one or more human users via auditory or textual methods, primarily for engaging in small talk. The primary aim of such simulation has been to fool the user into thinking...
s currently do).
- The main computer on the Enterprise-DUSS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
in Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production... - Dr. Know in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
- The Librarian in Snow CrashSnow CrashSnow Crash is Neal Stephenson's third novel, published in 1992. Like many of Stephenson's other novels it covers history, linguistics, anthropology, archaeology, religion, computer science, politics, cryptography, memetics, and philosophy....
Logical paradoxes
A logical paradoxParadox
Similar to Circular reasoning, A paradox is a seemingly true statement or group of statements that lead to a contradiction or a situation which seems to defy logic or intuition...
can show the limits of logic. Fictional machines based entirely on logic can often be disabled with a paradox, as typified by the response "I am not programmed to respond in that area" or "Does not compute
Does not compute
"Does not compute", and variations on it, is a phrase often spoken by computers, robots and other artificial intelligences in science fiction works of the 1960s to 1980s...
".
- One of the classic examples of a paradox's use is in the episode I, Mudd (TOS episode)I, Mudd (TOS episode)"I, Mudd" is a second season episode of Star Trek: The Original Series first broadcast November 3, 1967, and repeated April 5, 1968. It is episode #37, production #41, and was written by Stephen Kandel, based on a story by Gene Roddenberry and directed by Marc Daniels...
from Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
. - In Time of the Machines or MACHINES DÉSIRANTES, an episode of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone ComplexGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complexis an anime television series produced by Production I.G and based on Masamune Shirow's manga Ghost in the Shell. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, with original character design by Hajime Shimomura and a soundtrack by Yoko Kanno...
several TachikomaTachikomaA is a fictional artificial intelligence, walker/roller in the Ghost in the Shell universe; appearing in the manga, created by Masamune Shirow, and the Stand Alone Complex sub-universe. Nine of them are assigned to Section 9's use originally. They are spider like multi-legged combat vehicles,...
s use a liar paradoxLiar paradoxIn philosophy and logic, the liar paradox or liar's paradox , is the statement "this sentence is false"...
to disable another AI, an OperatorOperator (Ghost in the Shell)An is a fictional class of robot in the Ghost in the Shell series. They are voiced by Eri Oono and Debra Jean Rogers.-Bio:The Operators are designed to handle various tasks within the government agency Public Security Section 9, such as operating computers, carrying equipment within the agency's...
. Although the Operator is locked in a loop, the AI of the Tachikomas, can both solve this paradox and state it to others. - In the Video Game Portal 2Portal 2Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle-platform video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The sequel to the 2007 video game Portal, it was announced on March 5, 2010, following a week-long alternate reality game based on new patches to the original game...
, Paradoxes are references as a method of disabling a "Rogue" AIAiAI, A.I., Ai, or ai may refer to:- Computers :* Artificial intelligence, a branch of computer science* Ad impression, in online advertising* .ai, the ISO Internet 2-letter country code for Anguilla...
.
Voice interfaces
- The main computer on board the Enterprise in Star Trek: the Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
had a multimodalMultimodal interactionMultimodal interaction provides the user with multiple modes of interfacing with a system. A multimodal interface provides several distinct tools for input and output of data.- Multimodal input :...
interface. It accepted both voiceSpeech recognitionSpeech recognition converts spoken words to text. The term "voice recognition" is sometimes used to refer to recognition systems that must be trained to a particular speaker—as is the case for most desktop recognition software...
input as well as keyboard input.
Self navigating cars
Cars able to drive without any human assistance have been a recurring topic in fiction, with a great amount of popularity due to KITTKITT
KITT is the short name of two fictional characters from the adventure TV series Knight Rider. While having the same acronym, the KITTs are two different entities: one known as the Knight Industries Two Thousand, which appeared in the original TV series Knight Rider, and the other as the Knight...
from Knight Rider. Self-navigating cars are also featured in:
- Minority Report (film)Minority Report (film)Minority Report is a 2002 American neo-noir science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg and loosely based on the short story "The Minority Report" by Philip K. Dick. It is set primarily in Washington, D.C...
- The 6th DayThe 6th DayThe 6th Day is a 2000 American science fiction action thriller film directed by Roger Spottiswoode, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as family man Adam Gibson, who is cloned against his will in the future of 2015...
- I, Robot (film)I, Robot (film)I, Robot is a 2004 science-fiction action film directed by Alex Proyas. The screenplay was written by Jeff Vintar, Akiva Goldsman and Hillary Seitz, and is very loosely based on Isaac Asimov's short-story collection of the same name. Will Smith stars in the lead role of the film as Detective Del...
- TimecopTimecopTimecop is a 1994 science-fiction thriller film directed by Peter Hyams and co-written by Mike Richardson and Mark Verheiden. Richardson was also executive producer...
- The Light of Other DaysThe Light of Other DaysThe Light of Other Days is a 2000 science fiction novel written by Stephen Baxter based on a synopsis by Arthur C. Clarke, which explores the development of wormhole technology to the point where information can be passed instantaneously between points in the space-time continuum.- Characters...
- Demolition ManDemolition Man (film)Demolition Man is a 1993 American, science fiction action film directed by Marco Brambilla, and starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthorne, and Denis Leary co-star....
- Total RecallTotal RecallTotal Recall is a 1990 American science fiction action film. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside, Ronny Cox & Mel Johnson, Jr.. It is based on the Philip K. Dick story “We Can Remember It for You Wholesale”...
See also
- List of fictional computers
- List of fictional robots and androids
- The Adolescence of P-1The Adolescence of P-1The Adolescence of P-1 is a 1977 science fiction novel by Thomas J. Ryan, published by Macmillan Publishing, and in 1984 adapted into a Canadian-made TV film entitled "Hide and Seek". It features a hacker who creates an artificial intelligence named P-1, which goes rogue and takes over computers in...
- Android
- Butlerian JihadButlerian JihadThe Butlerian Jihad is an event in the back-story of Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Occurring over 10,000 years before the events chronicled in his 1965 novel Dune, this jihad leads to the outlawing of certain technologies, primarily "thinking machines", a collective term for computers...
- Cybernetic revoltCybernetic revoltCybernetic revolt or robot uprising is a scenario in which an artificial intelligence decide that humans are a threat , are inferior, or are oppressors and try to destroy or to enslave them potentially leading to...
- Darwin among the MachinesDarwin Among the Machines"Darwin among the Machines" appeared as the heading of an article published in The Press newspaper on 13 June 1863 in Christchurch, New Zealand...
- Machine RuleMachine RuleThe concept of machine rule is a common theme in science fiction stories and film, in which an artificially created lifeform takes over the naturally evolved beings that created them....
- RobotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
:Category:Fictional artificial intelligences
:Category:Fictional computers
:Category:Fictional robots
External links
- Science Fiction at the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
- Can a Machine Ever Become Self-aware? by Giorgio Buttazzo 2000
- AI and Sci-Fi: My, Oh, My!:Keynote Address by Robert J. Sawyer 2002
- AI and Cinema - Does artificial insanity rule? by Robert B. Fisher