
In the early 1980s, the movie The Terminator was released which created a revolutionary new genre within the Sci-Fi realm. The Austrian bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger quickly ascended to fame in the action thriller showing a world in which robots advanced to such an extent that they became autonomous and independent, seeking to destroy humanity. Many subsequent successor films were released in the years and decades following the initial groundbreaking film, and even today 40 years later the film remains a fan favorite and a cult classic. While the world looks markedly different from the way it did in the early 1980s, the movie continues to stand the test of time in the face of overwhelming change and technological advancement.
These innovations and advancements may arguably be making the movie more relevant in the present than ever before. Recently the entrepreneur and owner of Tesla Elon Musk made headlines for an alleged successful “Neuralink” experiment in which an electronic device was implanted in the brain of a human successfully. This device was supposed to have made it possible for mankind to control technology (like phones) simply by thought. The harrowing development is truly frightening, and foreshadows a world dominated by the digital and a human society increasingly antisocial and detached from community and one another. Musk has come under fire from many critics for his alleged torture of animals to ensure the completion of this experiment.
It’s not just physical technology that is threatening, the internet also is a dangerous place. Recently, scammers staged a business call over the Internet and stole over $25 million dollars from a Hong Kong based company. Artificial Intelligence was utilized to produce a “deep fake”. Algorithms created lifelike versions of humans and animals, and some are so advanced that they can partake in video calls. This scam is scary, as it appears that it will be difficult to discern robots from humans on the screen.