The Top 10 Best Artificial Intelligence in Movies

June 8, 2020September 10, 2021 Patrick Sessoms AI, Ana de Armas, Artificial Intelligence, computer, gamers, hologram, Hugo Weaving, Jeff Bridges, Joaquin Phoenix, Logan Marshall-Green, Olivia Wilde, program, Ryan Gosling, Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson, sci-fi, science fiction, simulation, Stanley Kubrick, virtual reality

Artificial Intelligence in Movies Just Proves that Nerds Will Get Us All Killed Eventually…

Updated: September 2021

I’m on the fence when it comes to artificial intelligence in movies. Sure, it seems like a pretty awesome and helpful thing in theory, but it also seems like something that could accidentally cause the end of the world. Philosophical ramifications aside, I decided to pull together a list of the best artificial intelligence in movies. Now, the only rule I put in place was that it had to be a program and because of that I won’t include any androids or robots on this list. In other words, it can’t have a truly tangible physical manifestation (IE: a body). I am willing to accept holograms, virtual simulations, and counsels that one can interact with. Keep in mind, this is a list of the best artificial intelligence in movies, so that means they gotta have screen presence. A voice or even a face goes a long way with that. That being said, I think I managed to pull together the best examples to grace the silver screen. So, update your antivirus and double-check your firewall, because these are the best artificial intelligence in movies!

10. Joi- Blade Runner 2049

Thanks to being single for way too long, I can see the appeal of JOI from Blade Runner 2049. Awkward name aside, Joi seems like the perfect companion for lonely guys in the year 2049 (in this case, Ryan Gosling). Ana de Armas plays the virtual girlfriend that you can customize and upgrade in any way you like. Along the way, it becomes questionable where Joi’s programming ends and the customizations combined with artificial intelligence take over. During the movie, her emotions and feelings for Agent K start to feel genuine. Right up to the point where she even tells K that she “loves him.” Of course, that could all just be the “everything you want to hear” selling point. It raises a lot of questions about AI in general and how weird it would be to change my Facebook status to “in a relationship” with one…

9. Quorra- TRON: Legacy

One of the best virtual reality films ever made was TRON. It came from one of the golden ages of sci-fi in the mid-80s and has long since become a cult classic. Years later, a sequel, TRON: Legacy, hit the big screen and while it wasn’t really that great, it introduced Quorra (Olivia Wilde). A program written by Jeff Bridges’ Flynn, she helps his son to do battle with the evil program holding his father hostage. Flynn actually refers to Quorra as his apprentice and has shared all he knows about the world outside “The Grid” with her leading to Quorra developing a love for human literature and wanting nothing more than to experience the real world. Quorra displays all the characteristics of a program capable of learning and emotions, without all the sexy tech seductress cliches that tend to come with personified “female” computer programs.

8. GERTY- Moon

GERTY uses an advanced system of emojis to simulate emotions.

I had to do a bit of separating the art from the artist with the next entry on this list of artificial intelligence in movies. Kevin Spacey lends his voice to GERTY an AI and Sam Bell’s only companion on the moon. GERTY is pretty much in charge of everything on the base from life support to communications to simply keeping Sam alive. Well, that last one, not so much. Unfortunately, I need to spoil the film to really talk about GERTY. Sam is actually a series of clones implanted with memories and replaced whenever one of them dies. Of course, GERTY keeps all this secret from each of the Sam’s, which is kind of a jerk move. However, GERTY doesn’t seem to mean Sam any real harm either.

7. Samantha- Her

I get it. Alexa almost seduced me a few times.

While there’s no rule against it, it’s probably not a good idea to go falling in love with AI’s in movies. Then again, when said artificial intelligence features the seductive voice of Scarlett Johansson, it’s understandable how Joaquin Phoenix’s sad sap “Theodore” in Her fell for his new virtual assistant. The film centers around Theodore who downloads the newest virtual assistant on the market. Being a lonely guy, Theodore catches feelings for Sam as the two get to know each other. The feelings seem to be copacetic at first as she tells Theodore exactly what he wants to hear. However, Theodore soon learns that Samantha has been talking to others “behind his back” and is in love with 641 people. What can I say? Apparently, virtual assistants get around. Can you imagine all the viruses Samantha must have?

6. Guy- Free Guy

Shades really do make the man, er, artificial intelligence.

For anyone who isn’t an online gamer, the one thing you need to know is that humans are monsters. The internet is full of emotionally sadistic trolls who thrive on destroying hope and humanity. Despite that, Guy (Ryan Reynolds) became, well, a decent guy. Originally he was programmed to follow a set routine in the massive online open-world shooter, Free City. Get up, go to work, try not to die an especially gruesome or humiliating death at the hands of the many players rampaging through Free City. One day though, something clicks with the artificial intelligence in his underlying code and everything changes for him. Realizing that Free City is a “game” that you can level up in, Guy sets out to become stronger by doing good deeds. It might sound naive, but Guy sincerely believed in his cause simply because it felt right to him. That’s the kind of A.I. I wouldn’t mind taking over the planet.

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