Film maker Alex Garland was so inspired by one of Professor Murray Shanahan's books he has asked him to advise him on his new SciFi film Ex Machina
The film is centred on Ava a female looking Robot who shows signs of human consciousness. Caleb a young Programmer is asked to test Ava’s consciousness. As the test unfolds Ava becomes a plausible highly intelligent humanoid capable of realistic human emotions.
Alex Garland states that it was Professor Shanahan’s book “Embodiment and the Inner Life: Cognition and Consciousness in the Space of Plausible Minds” that crystallised his thinking when creating this film. “It was one of the most interesting things I’ve ever encountered” he states.
It was after reading this book that he sought out Professor Shanahan to “test the science” and advise him on aspects of this technology. In truth a conscious artificially intelligent humanoid Robot which would allow for a high degree of human empathy is still the stuff of science fiction but is possibly feasible in the long term.
“We don’t know when the relevant breakthroughs might occur that make us think we can make thinks we never thought we could. But I’m absolutely sure it’s feasible” says Professor Shanahan.
More details about the film and Professor Shanahan's role in advising Alex Garland can be found in February's edition of "Empire" magazine.
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Royston Ingram
Department of Computing
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