Here are a few films and TV shows that focus on artificial intelligence that were produced in the past ten years or so. I have made an effort to portray a wide range of genres, including documentaries, dramas, comedies, thrillers, and classic science fiction. With the exception of one, which is available for purchase on DVD, all of these entries are presently available for streaming in India. These films and television series should encourage you to consider AI more carefully.
Netflix offers the first episode of Black Mirror Season 6—Joan is Horrible.
Since Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror has never shied away from addressing contemporary issues, it was only a matter of time until he wrote an episode about AI, art, and appropriation – specifically, who may make art, for whom, and at what cost? The main character, Joan, is portrayed by Annie Murphy. She learns that a show named Joan Is Horrible is on Streamberry’s, the fictional equivalent of Netflix. It’s interesting to note that a quantum computer is employing “CGI actors” to create the show. Every every time, it makes up events from her life and portrays her in the worst conceivable way. This, in contrast to most Black Mirror episodes, is basically a humorous tale, even if it discusses serious challenges related to artificial intelligence, particularly for authors, artists, and creators in general. One important component is that Joan’s data is being taken in real time to “feed” the AI in question, via her TV, phone, and other devices.
After Yang’s Apple TV+
After Yang, directed by Korean-American Kogonada in 2021, is akin to Spielberg’s Artificial Intelligence in several aspects. Mika, a Chinese adopted daughter of Jake (Colin Farrell) and Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith), has a robotic “culture unit” named Yang that is meant to help Mika feel more connected to her roots. The parents decide to fix the robot-child when Yang stops responding since their daughter has become connected to her companion and does not want to say goodbye. With grace and tenderness, some very nuanced topics concerning memory, communication, and yes, the differences between ‘human’ and artificial intelligence, are addressed. Unquestionably one of the best dramas of the twenty-first century, and a must-watch.
Upload(Amazon Prime)
This is a show by Greg Daniels, who co-created Parks and Recreation and the American version of The Office, two of the most watched sitcoms of the twenty-first century. In this 2033-set reality, individuals can “upload” themselves into a variety of virtual afterlives that are produced, promoted, and sold just like opulent travel experiences are in the real world. Can a love connection, however, last if one of the parties is a “shadow” manufactured by AI? Can one fall in love with someone whose entire life has been predetermined and not freely chosen? Can artificial intelligence produce a pain-free virtual “heaven”?
Upload provides witty and perceptive responses to these queries, all encapsulated in the format and mood of a romantic sitcom. As the main romantic coupling in the narrative, Nathan and Nora, Robbie Amell and Andy Allo give charming performances.
Netflix’s Coded Bias and The Social Dilemma
In order to give viewers a good balance of truth and fantasy, I decided to conclude this list with two documentaries that are both available on Netflix.
In Shalini Kantayya’s Coded Bias, two interconnected and crucial concerns are discussed: the absence of a legal framework around artificial intelligence and the racial bias hard-baked into face recognition algorithms. Let’s imagine a man is unfairly punished by a local police department using an algorithmic, AI-based face recognition system. Who bears the legal responsibility? Is it the manufacturer of this system, the cops, or the programmer? You’ll find a lot to think about after you venture down this rabbit hole. Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru, two scholars who are highlighted in this film, have produced some really insightful research on AI/algorithm-based systems and their effects on society.
Similar to this, The Social Dilemma challenges viewers to confront an uncomfortable reality: all social media companies gather and aggregate our data in order to build large language models (LLM) and artificial intelligence (AI). The present and potential effects of this massive data dump are then explained by specialists in social psychology and design ethics. These businesses already take advantage of people’s vulnerabilities and fears to target them; artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve the already cynical practice of “hate-clicks” and turn it into a fine art.
The Congress
This 2013 dramatic thriller is both animated and partially live-action. It was directed by Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman, who previously created the highly regarded documentary Waltz With Bashir in a similar vein. Robin Wright plays a fictionalised version of herself in the movie, an older actress who isn’t getting any decent parts anymore. She gives a studio called “Miramount,” which combines the names of the actual studios Miramax and Paramount, the perpetual rights to use her likeness. This implies that Robin Wright won’t receive any more compensation or involvement from Miramount for any future Robin Wright films.
