LIST: Films and shows that may have predicted the new ChatGPT model that can see and hear
Films and television shows are often said to be a reflection of reality, giving us a glimpse of a world that's just out of reach. While that may be so, there are also times when these fictional works seem to have predicted the future, just like what's been happening with OpenAI's new artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
ICYMI, the tech company recently released a higher performing and even more human-like version of their AI dubbed "GPT-4o." The new model is touted to be able to generate content or understand commands in voice, text, or images and portray some sort of emotion—something that is quite common in various sci-fi plots.
Here are some movies and shows that seemingly teased the coming of this technological advancement in the realm of AI.
Her
The 2013 science-fiction romantic drama film Her comes right at the top of this list—and rightfully so as even OpenAI's very own CEO Sam Altman admitted that he took inspiration from the film in terms of where he would like AI interactions to go.
Scarlett Johansson lends her voice in the film as Samantha, an artificially intelligent virtual assistant who is designed to adapt and evolve.
Theodore, a man whose heart had just been broken from a failed marriage, develops a connection with the AI tool that eventually turns into a more romantic turn as they bond over discussions about love and life.
Iron Man
Another film that drew parallels with GPT-4o is Iron Man. Avid Marvel fans may be all too familiar with Tony Stark's personal AI system J.A.R.V.I.S., which is short for "Just a Rather Very Intelligent System."
J.A.R.V.I.S. was initially invented as a natural-language user interface computer system and functions as an assistant to Tony, helping him manage all of the internal systems of his buildings as well as his Iron Man suits. He is known to be a highly sophisticated system, being able to converse in a familiar tone with his creator.
The Iron Man series of films revolves around Tony as he uses his skills as an industrialist and master engineer to create a mechanized suit of armor and become a hero in times of need.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Don't be fooled by this film's animated and comedic nature as The Mitchells vs. The Machines also showcases a highly-intelligent AI virtual assistant that may serve as a cautionary tale with technological advancements.
The film tells the story of the Mitchells, a quirky and dysfunctional family whose road trip is interrupted by a sudden invasion of home robots, which are controlled by an AI virtual assistant named PAL.
Initially a smartphone that was made to help families out on looking things up, PAL has since become self-aware and ruthless due to being discarded by her creator in favor of the more advanced robots.
Ron's Gone Wrong
Ron's Gone Wrong is another animated film confronting the intricacies of technology and AI.
The 2021 film introduces audiences to the so-called "B-bot," a walking, talking, digital avatar that is equipped with the most advanced piece of technology in the world, allowing it to play music, dance, make friends with other users, and more.
However, one B-bot named Ron with a malfunction falls into the hands of a socially awkward and lonesome middle-schooler named Barney. After going through lots of issues together, the two manage to grow on each other as Ron strives to become a genuine friend to Barney.
Be Right Back from Black Mirror
The anthology television series Black Mirror has a wide range of speculative stories about the modern world and technological innovations, but one episode from the second season stands out in particular for its take on AI.
Titled Be Right Back, the episode centers on how a woman named Martha turns to the assistance of an online service to help move on from the death of her boyfriend Ash.
As the service allows her to communicate with an artificial intelligence imitating Ash, Martha begins to get attached to the chatbot in an unhealthy manner.