Introduction
The presence of aliens in different forms can be traced in numerous works of art, such as paintings, fiction literature, documentaries, and action movies. I, Robot portrays the picture of the future, where the robots became an inherent part of society. It shows the world in which the use of robotics became standard for everyone, and the machines perform different kinds of activities, including housework, taking care after sick people, walking the dogs, shopping, and others. It is crucial to mention that robots became so mundane for humans that no one is paying attention to them as something unique. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the concept of aliens and its implications in the movie I, Robot.
Main body
First, it is critical to understand that although everyone does not view the active utilization of robotics as something extraordinary, the androids are still not considered to be equal members of society. In other words, the machines become assistants to humans, ensuring their safety and comfortable existence. The plot of the movie revolves around the agent Spooner who does not have trust in robots and believes that they can become a threat to humanity. Spooner investigates suspicious cases is not convinced that the laws of robotics work. It is found out later that Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence (VIKI) designed by the U.S. Robotics stands behind all the discrepancies and troubles (I, Robot). One can say that artificial intelligence created by humans decided to outperform the creator.
The movie’s director is raising an essential issue of human co-existence with technological development. As Cohen mentions in Monster’s Theory, “monsters are our children” (20). It is possible to state that modern advancements are the reflection of something different from humans, which, as a result, can inculcate fear and the feeling of the unknown. The beliefs that people can subjugate robots represent the attempts to overcome potential dangers that the developments hinder. It can also be compared to the presence of aliens among humans, where robotic creations differ from humans in numerous aspects.
In the movie, people found a way to co-exist with something new, whereas it is vital to remember that the machines were designed by humans who were assured that they could control them. However, rationale without emotions, as VIKI possessed, can lead to dramatic events and unregulated dominance, and destructions. In contrast, it is worth mentioning Sonny, who turned out to be a robot with the ability to have feelings and sentiments. The same situation can be with aliens because it might be challenging to see whether one can perceive and sensate such emotions as compassion, friendship, or care. Thus, I, Robot delivers an essential thought to society, which implies that judging something or someone only by their appearance can be misleading.
The paragraph above mentions Sonny, who became one of the main characters. Sonny is a clear representation of humaneness, which can be viewed as ambiguous because he is a machine. Nevertheless, every individual can learn a lot from him, due to the traits that he has, such as honesty, logic, and kindness. Throughout the movie, Sonny was self-searching, trying to understand the dreams and death, trying to understand the concepts that are an inalienable part of humans’ lives. Therefore, although Sonny was a representative of an alien among people, he proved not to differ from them besides his creation and appearance, which, after all, is not the most significant part.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I, Robot raises various questions about artificial intelligence, its presence among communities, its influence, and hidden threats. Besides, the question of humanity within the machines is also an essential consideration in this picture. The view on the relationship between people and robots is at the core of I, Robot. It shows that robotic developments are more than one might think they are, and they can surprise, like Sonny, who had his personality, his fears, feelings, and questions. The life among those who are unfamiliar in terms of how they look like can bring many aspects and show that one should not judge a book by its cover.
References
Jeffrey Jerome, Cohen. “Monster Culture (Seven Thesis).” Monster Theory: Reading Culture, edited by Jeffrey Jerome Cohen, University of Minnesota Press, 1996, pp. 3-25.
I, Robot. Directed by Alex Proyas, Twentieth Century Fox, 2004.