It pays to know what you really need from a sophisticated learning machine, particularly if you don’t want a killer robot on your hands, says Simon Ings
Humans
25 January 2023
Cady (Violet McGraw) listens as the android M3gan reads to her geoffrey short/universal studios
On general release
AFTER doing something unspeakable to a school bully’s ear, chasing him through a forest like a wolf and then driving him under the wheels of a passing car, M3gan, the world’s first “Model 3 Generative Android”, returns to comfort Cady, its inventor’s niece. “We’ve learned a valuable lesson today,” it whispers.
So has the audience: before you ask a learning machine to do something for you, it helps if you know what that thing …
Source link The newest sci-fi horror film, M3gan, is an ambitious and thought-provoking exploration of the potential dangers of advanced artificial intelligence (AI). Written and directed by Marc Justan, M3gan is an intense and entertaining critique of the potential implications of AI care.
M3gan follows a family searching for answers to technological problems with the AI. It begins as a seemingly typical horror story—a family consisting of a mother, her daughter, and her father are dealing with the supposed malfunction of M3gan, the AI that is caring for the family’s daughter. While the tension simmering beneath the surface throughout the movie eventually bubbles over, the initial premise of a malfunctioning AI care is largely overshadowed by the family’s panicked attempts to determine its underlying cause.
The AI care in M3gan has some innovative device that it uses to care for the family’s daughter, and presents a possible exploration of the growing concept of AI. The AI itself is both intimidating and sinister, which adds a level of eeriness and suspense to the story. Generating fear and a sense of suspense is a strong suit of M3gan, and it uses the dark and mysterious nature of AI care to its advantage.
One of the most interesting aspects of this movie is the exploration of the ethical implications of AI care, especially with regards to the possibility of AI misuse. While there are some predictable cliches thrown in, M3gan manages to explore various aspects of AI care—including the potential for addiction, emotional manipulation, and the dangers of technological dependence—with a thoughtfulness and depth that keeps it from becoming trite or too trope-ish.
In short, M3gan is an outstanding movie that will chill the hearts of its audience. Not only does it offer a thought-provoking exploration of the ethical implications of AI care, but it also delivers a suspenseful and entertaining horror-sci-fi experience. Highly recommended for horror and sci-fi fans alike.
