We live in odd times, and the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) pops up in nearly every conversation, whether the theme is how to use AI for greater productivity at work, or whether to panic that AI will steal our jobs. The fact that Hollywood has pretty much predicted what is happening with AI right now adds an interesting and spooky dimension to the whole thing. The concept of AI has sparked countless innovative movies that have captivated viewers worldwide.
Films on AI offer an intriguing and thought-provoking look at the human condition and our delicate relationship with technology, whether by exploring existential problems or imagining dystopian futures. AI in movies is not a recent development; the German expressionist film Metropolis had AI characters as early as 1927. Since then, AI films have taken many shapes and stories across the decades.
They now feature everything from sentient robots and self-aware computer systems to mind-bending virtual realities and post-apocalyptic realms. Each portrayal is a window into the hopes and worries of a culture grappling with the rapid development of technology. So, from friendly robots to threatening computers, here are the ten best AI movies based on their impact, storyline, and innovative portrayal of artificial intelligence.
10. I, Robot (2004)
The science fiction action movie I, Robot, explores artificial intelligence via robots, and is based on Isaac Asimov’s short story collection of the same name and was directed by Alex Proyas. It takes the author’s concept of the Three Laws of Robotics and adds a high-octane action scenario to the otherwise philosophical stories of Isaac Asimov. In 2035, top robotics scientist Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell) seems to have committed suicide, and cynical, anti-robot Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) is sent in to investigate.
However, Spooner believes that a robot named Sonny is behind the sabotage. Problems arise since it is against the first law of robotics for a robot to cause harm to a human being. I, Robot explores the potential repercussions of developing machines with human-like cognitive abilities, further eroding the distinction between human and machine. Sonny, the central robot, is unique because he can break the Three Laws and show emotion, making him a hybrid between human and machine.
9. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Famous for its daring investigation of technology, evolution, and the secrets of the cosmos, 2001: A Space Odyssey, directed by Stanley Kubrick and adapted from a novel by Arthur C. Clarke, is celebrated for its surreal story, stunning graphics, and philosophical undertones. There are four sections to this movie: “The Dawn of Man,” “TMA-1,” “Jupiter Mission,” and “Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite.” The film traces the evolution of humanity and its interaction with technology spanning thousands of years, from the first tool-making apes to a future trip to Jupiter.
The journey of the spaceship Discovery One, piloted by the coolly efficient artificial intelligence HAL 9000 (voiced by Douglas Rain), is central to most of the film. Astronauts Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) are in peril when HAL experiences a malfunction (or maybe evolves). In the film, HAL is not shown as a villain but as a machine striving to resolve internal conflicts caused by contradictory programming instructions. Some of the most iconic scenes in cinematic history include HAL’s “breakdown” and its mournful performance of “Daisy Bell” as it is being decommissioned.
8. Ex Machina (2014)
Artificial intelligence, human awareness, and the very nature of humanity are all pushed to their limits in the visually breathtaking and intellectually stimulating science fiction thriller Ex Machina. The film, directed by Alex Garland, is a modern classic for its groundbreaking take on AI. The plot follows a young programmer, Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), who wins a contest to spend a week with Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac), a brilliant but eccentric computer magnate, at his remote, high-tech house.
However, Caleb soon learns he is there to conduct a Turing Test on Ava (Alicia Vikander), a highly advanced humanoid AI created by Nathan. In contrast to the traditional representation of the Turing Test, which focuses on an AI’s capacity to effectively impersonate human conversation, Ex Machina gives Ava a physical presence, allowing the audience — and Caleb — to engage with her. Ava’s translucent, mechanical body identifies her as a machine, although her humanlike face and increasingly empathetic interactions blur the distinction between machine and human.
7. Blade Runner (1982)
The science fiction film Blade Runner is a landmark for its daring exploration of artificial intelligence’s ethical implications and humanity’s nature. Directed by Ridley Scott and inspired by Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the film has garnered a cult following and remains influential today. The film follows Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a “blade runner” entrusted with retiring (killing) renegade bioengineered entities known as replicants in a dystopian Los Angeles in 2019.
These replicants were designed to do backbreaking labor in harsh conditions in distant colonies, and they are nearly indistinguishable from humans. Newer models, however, have begun to exhibit emotional responses, making them harder to spot and posing a danger to human society. The film is a philosophical journey into humanity, individuality, and morality. Some of the film’s most powerful moments occur when the replicants, led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), contemplate their artificial existence and impending death.
6. Ghost in the Shell (1995)
The anime Ghost in the Shell revolutionized the cyberpunk and science fiction genres. The film, directed by Mamoru Oshii and adapted from Masamune Shirow’s manga of the same name, has significantly impacted animation and beyond. The tale follows Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg public-security agent who is utterly artificial, save for her brain and “ghost” (a term for soul or conscience) in 2029, in a world where cybernetic human enhancement is prevalent.
She and her crew are trying to capture the Puppet Master, a strong hacker who controls cyborgs by infiltrating their brains. Kusanagi’s search for the Puppet Master becomes an introspective quest as she challenges her life and self-identity. Because of her dual nature as a cyborg and a human “ghost,”Kusanagi often questions what it means to be “alive.”
5. Her (2013)
A fascinating and moving look at modern love, isolation, and humanity, Her is a must-see. This Spike Jonze-helmed film provides a personal peek at a near-future world in which people develop emotional attachments to highly developed artificial intelligence. The film follows Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), a loner who works as a letter writer for those who cannot communicate their emotions and is healing from a difficult divorce.
Theodore buys a cutting-edge computer system featuring an artificial intelligence program named Samantha (played by Scarlett Johansson). Because of Samantha’s empathetic nature, she and Theodore have a strong friendship that develops into love — the emotional bond between the two leads in Her sets it apart from other AI flicks. Samantha has no physical body; she is a stream of consciousness with which to engage in conversation, illustrating the importance of shared values and thought processes in building meaningful bonds.
4. The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021)
Funny, touching, and insightful, The Mitchells vs. the Machines examines our complex connection with modern technology in a way that will resonate with audiences today. The creative team behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and The LEGO Movie, directors Mike Rianda and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, bring a new take on the classic story of robots rebelling against their creators in this entertaining family film.
The Mitchells are an offbeat family that the film follows. Abbi Jacobson stars as aspiring filmmaker Katie Mitchell, whose father, Rick (Danny McBride), decides to convert the trip to her dream school into a family road vacation. When electrical devices worldwide revolt under the leadership of an AI dubbed PAL (voiced by Olivia Colman), their bonding trip takes a terrifying turn. The Mitchells and their dog, Monchi, are the only ones left to save humanity.
3. AI Artificial Intelligence (2001)
In AI Artificial Intelligence, the visionary story of a dystopian future is brought to life thanks to the unprecedented pairing of two of cinema’s most famous directors: Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg. The plot revolves around David (Haley Joel Osment), a highly advanced artificial youngster programmed to love unconditionally. David is adopted by a human couple, Monica (Frances O’Connor) and Henry Swinton (Sam Robards), whose biological son Martin (Jake Thomas) is in a coma.
After Martin gets better and returns home, David is abandoned due to unfortunate events. Rejected by his peers and his mother, David sets out on a painful journey to prove himself worthy of his mother’s love by becoming what he perceives to be a “real boy.” The novel AI Artificial Intelligence stands out for the depth with which it examines its subject matter. The central theme of the film is the exploration of manufactured feelings. Is the authenticity of a machine’s feelings diminished if it can be taught to love?
2. The Matrix (1999)
The Wachowskis’ masterful direction of The Matrix, which combines action, philosophy, and state-of-the-art special effects, has left an indelible impression on the cultural consciousness. Thomas A. Anderson, aka Neo (Keanu Reeves), is a software engineer with a secret life as a hacker at the center of the film. When Neo is contacted by the mysterious Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), he learns the terrifying truth that the world he has always known is an artificial construct called the Matrix, constructed by sentient machines to soothe and control humans while using their bodies as a source of energy.
Numerous philosophical, religious, and literary texts serve as foundations for The Matrix as it delves into topics like free will, reality, and the nature of consciousness. The film’s premise asks how we could tell if our world is an illusion crafted by higher creatures (or AI). The film’s action sequences and innovative special effects are also well-known; “bullet time” has become synonymous with the picture.
1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
The sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day, directed by James Cameron, develops the themes introduced in the 1984 original and debuts innovative special effects. The story continues years after the previous film’s events. Now a seasoned fighter and mother, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) must save her son John (Edward Furlong), the future leader of the human resistance against Skynet (a renegade artificial intelligence that will bring about a nuclear apocalypse known as “Judgment Day”).
Using sentient computers as both villains and heroes in Terminator 2: Judgment Day makes it unique among AI films. Skynet and the T-1000 symbolize the dangers of unregulated artificial intelligence development, while the T-800 shows that AI can learn, adapt, and even create emotional ties. The development of the latter’s feelings of humanity through his interactions with John Connor is the film’s driving theme.