Log Off: Wea Are Being Watched At All Times
The government is watching you at all times; correction, everyone is. With the outlook of artificial intelligence being seen as more than a blood thirsty humanoid robot, the exception for what can create a better future has been greatly worked upon. While fear is still evident due to what horrors technology could possess, AI has proven to enhance life as we know it-unknowingly.
In Allon Reich’s Ex Machina, AI innovation is presented as a conscious humanoid named Ava that may or may not be thinking for herself. Ava’s creator, Nathan, has one of his employees, Caleb, take her through a Turing test. This test will confirm if Nathan has created the world’s first conscious AI, giving him power like no other. Ex Machina demonstrates the potential dangers of an AI that can develop if the proper protocols are not followed by its creator who could have ill intentions. While word domination by humanoids seems only relative to the box office, there are consequences to pushing technology passed it limits. In the past, robots were thought to be purely mechanical. A machine that can perform the tasks it was given by its initial creator will then adapt to working alongside humans.
In Kevin Kelly’s “The Three Breakthroughs That Have Finally Unleashed AI on the World”, it is stated that businesses using AI to begin planning and development will only enhance itself in the long run (2). The corporate offices of any major company is thought to run solely on capitalism, which in turn creates corrupt business practices. James Bell notes Sun Microsystems chief scientist Bill Joy in “Exploring the Singularity”, Joy also believes our society is ruled by corporate societies and the innovation in GNR technology will only silence the world even more. Such businesses in any economy begins a money hungry revolution that no longer benefits the consumer, but the CEO and its partnerships.
In Ex Machina, Nathan does not outwardly express any ill intention with his invention of AI. In a scene where Caleb watches Nathan’s past interactions with his older AI prototypes, Nathan does not display technological advancement but simply slave like behavior in his AIs. As his prototypes developed their consciousness of what they were and how they were being kept captive, Nathan immediately reprogrammed their brains, essentially “killing” them. His decision to reprogram them after their first initial outburst as conscious AI is an example of Nathan being forced to stay in control in order for his AI to work without problem. Consciousness in AI programs isn’t likely to be represented in humanoid technology in our 21st century. The less consciousness an AI has, the easier it is to control. Kelly argues that the evil, murderous robots with human faces and detachable limbs are not a possibility for what AIs will turn into in the near future.
In Ex Machina, it is now Ava’s fourth session with Caleb. It is physically obvious she has grown more comfortable around him and possibly developed feelings as well. During session four Caleb explains an AI theory on “Mary in the Black and White Room”. The scene begins in medium long shot, where the audience can see Ava and Caleb from the knees up. As a whole this scene is filmed in medium long shot, medium close up, and a close up shot. The distinct changes from medium long shot and medium close up are most prominent as Caleb tells the story of “Mary in the Black and White Room”. It seems that Ava is connecting herself to Mary as her face is becoming focused in a slow, zoom-in medium close up shot. Her small smile that was present at the beginning of their session has now turned into somewhat of a scowl. As the camera pans back out to a medium long shot, Caleb is visibly anxious as he moves his fingers inside of his hands. His questions begin to sound more hostile and Ava’s answers come off defensive even in her very monotone way of speaking.
With consciousness present in Ava, Caleb’s nervousness stemmed from how she may react. While presented as a possibly conscious AI to him, Ava is capable of things that Caleb does not know of — maybe even harm. All in all, Ava’s response was of hurt and defense to Caleb but could have been rage and violence towards Nathan.
