Imagine a world where artificial intelligence isn’t just a tool but a looming threat—a force so powerful it could destroy humanity. Sounds like the plot of a thrilling sci-fi movie, right? But here’s the twist: we’re already living in that world, and yet, the idea of ‘Evil AI’ in films feels as outdated as a floppy disk. And that’s kind of terrifying.
Take Tron: Ares, for instance, where a glowing, red-pinstriped Jared Leto warns, ‘My world is coming, and they are going to destroy yours.’ The film paints a digital realm ruled by a malevolent AI threatening to take over our reality. You’d think this would resonate, especially after AI thought leaders dropped the bombshell manifesto AI 2027, predicting humanity’s potential demise within a decade. MIT’s Max Tegmark even bluntly stated, ‘We’re two years away from something we could lose control over.’ And let’s not forget former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s chilling warning: ‘AI models can be hacked for harmful purposes, including killing people.’
But here’s where it gets controversial: Despite these real-world alarms, Tron: Ares flopped at the box office, joining the ranks of Megan 2.0 and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, both of which struggled to find audiences. Why? It’s not just about poor execution—though Tron: Ares has its fair share of issues. The problem is, the Evil AI trope feels as stale as yesterday’s news. We’ve seen it all before, from HAL 9000’s unblinking red eye in 2001: A Space Odyssey to the sleek, modern AI in Ex Machina. Hollywood’s go-to villain has lost its edge.
And this is the part most people miss: AI isn’t just a distant threat anymore—it’s in our pockets, our homes, and our daily routines. ChatGPT helps us plan vacations, recommend skincare, and even tone down breakup texts. How can we fear something that’s also our personal assistant? When Tom Cruise’s character in Mission: Impossible warns, ‘The Entity has become sentient… we’re powerless to stop it,’ our response is more likely to be, ‘Sure, but can it tell me why my dog keeps sneezing?’
Part of the issue is how AI is portrayed on screen. Movies need characters, but turning AI into a compelling villain is tricky. Is it a menacing screensaver? A killer robot? Giving AI goals and a personality often feels either unoriginal or laughable. There’s only so much creativity you can squeeze out of a disembodied intelligence.
Compare that to nuclear weapons, which Hollywood has masterfully kept in our collective nightmare for decades. From James Cameron’s blockbusters to HBO’s Chernobyl, nukes remain a visceral, tangible threat. They don’t help with taxes, but they sure know how to put on a show.
But with AI, Hollywood’s cautionary tales fall flat in an age where AI is everywhere. It’s like warning us about a Roomba gone rogue. The irony? At a time when experts warn AI could pose an existential threat, we’re more likely to shrug than shudder.
So, here’s the question: Is the Evil AI trope truly dead, or is Hollywood just not trying hard enough? And more importantly, should we be worried that we’re no longer worried? Let’s discuss—are you team ‘AI is overhyped’ or team ‘we’re all doomed’? The comments are open, and the debate is on.
