Her – a glimpse into the future?

[mdabuhasan]

The film Her , winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, written and directed by Spike Jonze, could represent a possible future or even current scenario on the coexistence between humans and artificial intelligence .

The film depicts an advanced world in the near future, not too far from ours, where AI plays a primary role in individual and social life.

In this context, in fact, most people own imperceptible, wireless earphones – precursors of today’s AirPods – which, thanks to an operating system, read emails, news, change music based on expressed wishes, etc.

The protagonist Theodore, played by the dark Joaquin Phoenix , is the emblem of the man superficially integrated into society and working life, incapable of fully experiencing his own emotions. As a job he composes messages acting as a voice for those who, short of words, want to transmit love messages or affectionate wishes, in a society that like him has forgotten how to deal with itself. Therefore he decides to take refuge in a digital identity from which he draws comfort and serenity. Captured by an advertisement on the subway, he buys a new operating system OS 1, based on an elaborate artificial intelligence, capable of growing, knowing its user better as the information transmitted by the latter increases. As the narrative continues, in fact, it emerges that this voice assistant is actually an extension capable of evolving and adapting based on the needs, habits and desires of the user, processing information and elaborating emotions: right from the start we see how the operating system or artificial intelligence is the protagonist, alongside Theodor.

Assistant Samantha seems to understand other buy phone number list people's emotions, through a sort of emotional intelligence: she goes beyond programming, she experiences real emotions, feelings.

In fact, it is not only able to process millions of pieces of information in a few thousandths of a second, but it is also programmed to capture the emotions of others, so as to feel like a real physical, human entity.

The two protagonists, Theodore and Samantha, establish a relationship that is very similar to a human one, going from friends to intimates with the embarrassments and joys typical of such a transition, and both want all this to materialize in reality, and therefore for Samantha to take on the traits of a physical person.

As a machine, an algorithm, a computer and an abstract entity, the voice in Theodor's head and now in his heart maintains several "relationships" and is in contact with millions of people, even simultaneously. An awareness of this magnitude, however rationally obvious, disrupts the protagonist's finally balanced world, torn by force from the only island where he had found a serenity that, however digital and abstract, soothed the loneliness of his days.

The film raises several questions : How do computers accompany us in our daily lives?

How much can machines help us, in processing information, in giving us a competitive advantage in knowledge? How much, on the other hand, can they be a double-edged sword, increasing loneliness and insecurity?

How much can all this be traced back to our daily lives? We are certainly faced with some great discoveries, but how right was Stephen Hawking when he said that “Computers will take over, at risk the entire human race”?