Although in many ways it feels like artificial intelligence has just entered our lives, Steven Spielberg was already warning about its dark implications almost a quarter of a century ago. With Jude Law in a supporting role, this fascinating feature has only become more relevant as the years have gone on and technology has encroached ever further on our lives.

As a movie that was originally a pᴀssion project of the visionary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, Spielberg stepped in after his death to finish the film. With Kubrick as the director behind classics like Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining, the influence of his darker sensibilities can be felt in this uncharacteristically melancholic sci-fi film from Spielberg.

Exploring fascinating themes relating to technology and the way we experience it, Jude Law also brought a unique perspective to this underrated Spielberg classic. Now as we enter the age of ChatGPT, AI companionship, and increasingly blurred lines between man and machine, the central questions posed by A.I. Artificial Intelligence only feel more prescient in hindsight.

Jude Law Played The Robot Gigolo Joe In A.I. Artificial Intelligence

The Robots In A.I. Were Known As Mechas

Although the central story of A.I. Artificial Intelligence was about a lifelike child robot named David (Haley Joel Osment) who was programmed to love, the world presented in this movie showcases humanoid robots called mechas fulfilling various roles in society. Jude Law portrayed one such mecha, an android prosтιтute named Gigolo Joe.

Considering Law’s striking good looks, Gigolo Joe was pre-programmed to fulfill his clients’ fantasies, and the actor said he modeled his character’s seductive appeal and dance movies on icons like Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly (via Cinema.) Joe’s characterization showcased that, despite mechas having humanlike qualities, they were Sєxually objectified by society at large.

In a portrayal that feels eerily prophetic to the age we live in today, Joe’s charm, wit, and expressiveness didn’t translate to societal respect, and instead, he was discarded and blamed by those around him. Joe’s character raises interesting ethical questions about if we build machines that mimic humans, then do we also bear responsibility for how they are treated?

While in Joe’s case, society is of the understanding that he cannot be emotionally hurt by their abuses, the child android David suggests something entirely different. As a robotic boy programmed to actually love, audiences are forced to question if the intensity of his programming is so strong that it feels real, then does this equate to it actually being real?

Spielberg’s Dark Fairy Tale Was Misunderstood At The Time

It Felt Bleaker Than Spielberg’s Other Family-Friendly Movies

A.I. Artificial Intelligence was based on the short story “Supertoys Last All Summer Long” by Brian Aldiss, but was also envisioned as a futuristic retelling of Pinocchio. With David desperate for his late mother’s love, the story sees him try to fulfill his dream of becoming a real boy and finally gain the unconditional love he always hoped for.

While A.I. Artificial Intelligence stands as one of Spielberg’s most interesting movies, the response at the time was mixed, as it went into far darker territory than the filmmaker usually did in his family-friendly movies. David’s story didn’t have any neat resolution and hinted that he would be condemned to an eternal lifetime of unrequited longing.

At the time, it felt like critics and audiences found it difficult to reconcile the Spielbergian sentimentality and Kubrickian bleakness in the film. The way that A.I. Artificial Intelligence combined fairy tale tropes with dystopian despair was jarring, but, looking back, it makes it one of Spielberg’s most philosophically complex works.

The ethos of A.I. Artificial Intelligence can be boiled down to the question: If something is programmed to feel, does that feeling become real? This idea brings up deeply complex ethical questions around the nature of living itself, the singularity, and the dark possibilities of further technological advancement.

A.I. Companionship Is No Longer Sci-Fi – It’s Happening Now

These Questions Have Never Been More Relevant

The idea of humans forging genuine connections with artificial intelligence was a simple fantasy back in 2001, but the truth is that these questions have become shockingly relevant to the world we live in today. Jude Law’s characterization of a robot prosтιтute in A.I. Artificial Intelligence looked to be a cautionary glimpse of how technology can exploit human desires.

Whether it’s users trying to marry their chatbots (via Guardian) or AI ᴀssistants acting as therapists for millions, the complexities and risks of human-AI relationships have never felt more urgent. As technology evolves, the line between man and machines feels like it’s becoming less defined, and there’s a danger we will give too many aspects of our lives over to technology.

Ultimately, A.I. Artificial Intelligence serves as both a haunting cautionary tale and a philosophical exploration of being human in the technological age. While it was released nearly 25 years ago, the joint vision of Spielberg and Kubrick can act as a warning toward what is possible and a reminder that we should be careful about what we create.

Sources: Cinema, Box Office Mojo, Guardian