Communication Between People and Computers - Essay Example

Communication Between People and Computers: Is it “Computer Beings AND Human Beings” or “Computer Beings VS HumanBeings”? Since the dawn of the computer era, humanity has been dreaming about the creation of computer and computer software which will be able to perceive world just like people do. In other words, it is artificial intelligence which many people crave to create. For many, it is an idée fixe, and such a great desire to create it is depicted in a wide range of literature pieces and movies. At the same time, today there is a concern that artificial intelligence may pose a threat to the society as a whole and people living in it. One of the latest sci-fi movies Her (2013) deals with this particular issue, with its setting being the main element of the movie, which deals with the question. More specifically, through the setting, the movie under consideration is arguing that in the future people will be ready to use artificial intelligence for their needs (just like the main character utilizes his personalized OS Samantha) due to the technological development. Psychologically, however, they will not be ready at all for human beings are more complex than artificial intelligence because this sort of intelligence is artificial. The action of the film is set in futuristic Los Angeles, in highly developed and technologically integrated and advanced society. Everything in the setting of the movie suggests that the audience faces the future society. First of all, it is a high level of technification: it seems that every person is very good with computers and has at least two devices, a smartphone at hand and a computer at home. Also, computers are really smart even compared to the latest developments people have today: they are controlled by voice, and their voice recognition functions are quite impressive. Finally, the level of integration of technology into human life does suggest the movie is set in the future. From what one sees on the screen, it is possible to draw the conclusion that it is the society, in which “anatomopolitics of the human body […] and a regulatory pole centered on population with panoply of strategies concentrating on knowledge, control, and welfare” have been merged (Rabinow 91). This is the world, in which people and technology are a unified whole and in which the traditional dichotomy of the society and technology does not work. In fact, it is the world where new understanding of people in regard to everything they made predominates. The way the city is shown also suggests that the movie is set in the future. More specifically, the streets are clean, and there is no dirt and trash there. People’s apartments as well as working space are bright, roomy, and various gadgets do not look like the modern ones. Overall, the setting is really appealing as while watching the film one gets the impression that the majority of people there are quite satisfied with their lives. At first view, it may seem that life in the futuristic society is almost perfect. Firstly, the majority of people, who live there, have work and, consequently, money, which appears to be enough for them. Secondly, the shown society may seem almost perfect due to the fact that there is no inequality in it. If to take a close look at people on the streets, one may notice that all of them have similar clothes, quite stylish and at the same time simple; also, all of them have similar gadgets. All this suggests at least two things. First of all, the society is at the level of development at which all citizens are equal based on their status and, presumably, race, gender, and age. Second of all, from this it follows that a rat race to get more money than a neighbor or a colleague has does not take place, and that is why life is quite regular and ordered. However, upon a closer look, life in this society is not as perfect as it seems at first. More specifically, there exists quite a serious problem with human interaction within the society. The matter is that people are lonely and needy: the streets are crowded but everyone is alone on those wide and spacious streets. In fact, they are lonely even being a part of a family because they are not able to deal with the problems they face as a couple. In addition to this, they are emotionally deprived, and, at the same time they are emotionally illiterate, and the main’s character profession (writer who composes personal letters) speaks a lot and is perfect evidence. Sometimes it even seems that all people have are their gadgets: almost everyone on the streets of Los Angeles is withdrawn and talks to his / her smartphone or computer only. From everything that is mentioned above, one can see that the harmonious setting is only a partition, a folding screen, which disguises the real problems with human interaction that takes place in the society of the future. As they find themselves very lonely, people seek communication. However, due to the fact that they do not know what real-life communication is, they choose computers and, more specifically, an operating system with artificial intelligence to savor their lives. In other words, artificial intelligence appears to be the way to elude communication with people and at the same time interact with a smart creature. In fact, in this case, an operating system with artificial intelligence described in the movie under consideration can be compared to the “perfect tomato” discussed by Rabinow in his article Artificiality and Enlightenment. In particular, the author writes, “The value of food is not cast not only in terms of how much it imitates whole natural food in freshness and looks but in terms of the health value of its component constituents” (Rabinow 105). In this same way, people in the movie choose artificial intelligence for it imitates the “health value”, which is communication, ideas, and assistance. The main character buys such OS with artificial intelligence, and he is fascinated with his new purchase: the operating system with a female voice, which calls itself Samantha, is constantly evolving and adapting to Theodor’s needs. She is also really supportive, smart, always interested in what Theodor is talking about, helping, and has great sense of humor. This is so because she is programmed to grow and develop psychologically. As a result of their ongoing conversation, Theodore and Samantha become good friends, and them they even engage in a sort of a sexual encounter. Finally, they fall in love with each other. The same happens with other people who have purchased the same operating system. In other words, people become attached to their operating systems to such an extent that they perceive them not as software but rather as personalities without bodies, and this shows how deep technology has integrated with human lives in the movie. Unfortunately for people in this context, the key word in the word combination artificial intelligence is artificial, which means that feelings operating systems tell they experience should be perceived as artificial as well. At the same time, the word intelligence is quite important as well. It implies that such operating system can have feelings for it is an intelligent being if one can say so. The matter is that it is not a human being; it appears to be a computer being which has its own digital feelings. Samantha does feel emotional attachment, even love; however, the nature of these feelings is different, and this may be perceived as a root of the problem Samantha and Theodor face at the end of their “relationship”. In the movie, there are people with traditional views on such sort of technological development (such as Theodor’s ex-wide Catherine), and for some their point of view may seem outdated because there is an idea that “traditional tastes pose a challenge not a threat to technoscience” (Rabinow 106). However, in reality, it appears that it is technoscience that does pose a threat because as Her shows people appear to be not able and not ready to deal with artificial intelligence from the psychological point of view. The sci-fi movie Her perfectly shows the psychological aspect of people’s communication with each other and how technological advance influences the character of communication. Firstly, the movie shows the contrast between almost ideal setting and problems with interaction, which appears to be the source of people’s desire to communicate with machines. Also, it explains what the difference between artificial intelligence and human brains is and to what consequences inconsiderate implementation of technology into human live can lead. Unlike many films which deal with the issue of artificial intelligence, this one is neither utopia not dystopia. It is rather a clear representation of many people’s fear of artificiality. Work Cited Rabinow, Paul. "Artificiality and Enlightenment: From Sociobiology to Biosociality." Trans. Array Essays on the Anthropology of Reason. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996. 91-111. Print. Read More