As headlines alternate between AI promising utopia and threatening our existence, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. In this video, Computer History Museum VP and Chief Curatorial and Exhibitions Officer Kirsten Tashev takes us on a journey through time, revealing the deep roots of our hopes and fears for AI.
From the protector myths of Talos and the Golem to the cautionary sci-fi tales of HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Metropolis, and R.U.R. (the 1920s play that gave us the word “robot”) we explore how our modern reactions to technologies like ChatGPT are shaped by stories we’ve been telling for generations.
Join us as we deconstruct these foundational myths and fictions to better understand our reality and ask the critical question: will AI set us free, or replace us?
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Hope vs. Fear
0:57 – The ultimate assistant (Jarvis) vs. the ultimate adversary (HAL 9000)
2:30 – The first "Robot" uprising: R.U.R.
4:02 – Deepfakes in 1927: Metropolis
5:00 – Ancient protector robots: Talos & The Golem
6:21 – Creating life: Pinocchio & Astro Boy
8:16 – Falling in love with a Chatbot: Her & A.L.I.C.E.
9:23 – NOBODY PANIC.
#ArtificialIntelligence #ComputerHistory #AIanxiety #SciFi
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