Power relation

There is no denying that AI is on the pathway towards increasing complexity and advancement. By the same token, science fiction picks up on the idea of highly sophisticated robots and cyborgs that come precariously close to humans. The question then arises how powerful AI can become. Are we still architects of our own work?

The Star Wars franchise portrays the existence of AI on a large scale as a fact of life: Droids in all sizes and shapes take on the role of willing helpers in a high-tech world of ever-present conflict; from translators and technicians to soldiers in warfare. While most of them are the result of mass production, others appear as unique characters. Who does not enjoy watching the savvy “astromech” R2-D2 and its clumsy companion C-3PO as they go about their own adventures through all episodes of the saga? Star Wars builds upon these strong individuals that not only exhibit a significantly high level of intelligence but can feel and act almost just like humans do. However, droids ultimately tend to fulfil the purpose of serving their maker ensuring a peaceful coexistence of man and machine. In this sense, the galaxy far, far away might display a utopic image of our own future. May the force be with us!

But what happens if AI starts to contemplate its own existence and decides to rebel? And what does it take to reach that tipping point? The concept that the machine turns on its creator is a widespread phenomenon in today’s science fiction movies notoriously referred to as the“Frankenstein complex”.

In the Terminator series, it is the computer system Skynet, which becomes self-aware upon activation. It immediately perceives all humans as a threat to its own existence and forges out a plan to wipe out humanity itself. This so-called “Judgment Day” heralds the start of an atrocious war dragging on for years with no end in sight. Man and machine face each other in an epic battle for survival, one trying to outwit the other. In fact, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous line “I’ll be back!” resonates to us every time we witness Skynet miraculously resurrecting to take revenge after a previous defeat. On the whole, the Terminator franchise depicts a dystopia since it bears witness to a fundamental power shift. In this scenario of make or break, AI and humankind cannot coexist anymore and pursue a war till the utter extermination of the enemy. After all, this leaves us with only one last resort: a cybernetic organism, living tissue over a metal endoskeleton – in other words, a terminator.