So far the critics have gotten this wrong.  They miss the new issue in this AI thriller.

“Atlas Shepherd (Jennifer Lopez), a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence, joins a mission to capture a renegade robot with whom she shares a mysterious past. But when plans go awry, her only hope of saving the future of humanity from AI is to trust it.” Official descript according to Forbes.

Critics have said: “The film is cheesy”, “lackluster” and “Borrows” from other sci-fi flicks.

The important AI issue examined in this film is not AI versus Human but rather AI plus Human. It examines the possibilities and consequences if the two are linked together.

Jennifer Lopez gets us inside the internal struggle of dealing with a link between herself and the AI.

This is different from all other AI films that only discuss the threat of AI overtaking humanity.

Jennifer Lopez’ character Atlas Shepherd expresses her fears about “linking human intelligence with AI”. She is concerned about intrusion into her privacy and the overall dangers of linking up with a machine.

The AI is embodied in a mobile Exo suit.

Some critics have been bothered by the Exo suit that has shown up in a few other films: Avatar, Aliens, and District Nine.

But so have many technical features like voiced computers on starships are in various sci-fi films.

The new issue in this film is the direct link and the human’s concern about this link.

This question is before us now with the successful trials conducted by companies like Elon Musk’s Neuralink. They have successfully designed an effective implant connecting a human brain to a computer.

From: Neuralink’s website:

“The first indication we aim to address is the restoration of digital autonomy to people living with quadriplegia due to spinal cord injury (SCI) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — a capability that we are calling “Telepathy.”

What we’ve built

The current version of the device — the N1 Implant — is an intracortical BCI implant designed to record neural activity through 1,024 electrodes distributed across 64 flexible leads, or “threads,” each of which are thinner than a human hair and capable of being placed independently in the brain.”

Musk’s research puts the control into human hands. But the film: Atlas takes it one step further:

What if the link could go both ways?

Enabling the computer to download and access the human in the same way the human can access the computer.

In the film this brings up discussions about the potential invasion of privacy by the AI and Atlas( Jlo’s character.) She pleads with the AI not to go “digging” deeper into her head and memories.

A film called Transcendence deals with downloading a human brain into an advanced computer and portrays the “linking” issue too. Still, the science discussion is more complex and the resulting story is harder to grasp. ( Although I liked the film Transcendence starring Johnny Depp )

In contrast, the Atlas narrative is easy to follow and understand.

_____

From the Atlas movie dialogue:

Atlas (JLo) What do I do?

Sterling K Brown plays a colleague and yells across:”Strap in”

Atlas: Oh my god.

This planet is unstable and inhospitable.

AI:   Atlas, my name is Smith.

Atlas (Jlo):  Is that really necessary? You’re a computer program.

AI: No, I’m not.

Atlas:  No? What are you then?

AI: I am a computer program named Smith.

Atlas:  No one likes a smart ass, Smith

>>>>>>>>>

AI:  Atlas, my primary protocol is to keep you alive.

Atlas:  Same! I don’t need your help. I don’t trust any AI.

AI: Atlas, this won’t work if you don’t trust me.

Atlas: Okay. Let’s do this.

(Lopez links up with the AI)

Atlas: This is what it feels like to be you?

AI: This is what it feels like to be us.

Atlas: It’s beautiful.

AI : Don’t worry. We are simply the better versions of you.

And therein is the problem and the possibility. Although AI has been discussed and appeared in many films, this one clearly discusses the role of AI in enhancing the human experience.  Lopez’s character gets a bigger more expansive view of existence and so does the AI.

The filmmakers (Brad Peyton and Rampage) give the viewer a great experience of this expansion almost as good as the expansive quality of the film “Limitless.”

I am not sure why the critics knocked down this film.  Thank goodness, there are some positive reviews.

JLo’s performance is magnificent.  She adds rich tones displaying a range of emotions.

I’ll admit that I am an avid Jennifer Lopez fan.

This movie is a gift to us and will help you understand one of the real concerns about AI.

****

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