Hollywood Leaders Sound Alarm on AI's Illusion of Joy

One day, an unidentified being emerges unexpectedly, unleashing a strange virus that siphons away all of human knowledge and recollections. ...

One day, an unidentified being emerges unexpectedly, unleashing a strange virus that siphons away all of human knowledge and recollections. Billions of individuals infected by the virus become aligned. Now, humanity acts, speaks, and thinks in unison, resembling clones. Due to the instant exchange of all experiences and knowledge, the world has turned remarkably peaceful and affluent, but Carol (Lea Seydoux), who is resistant to the virus, struggles to fit into this blissful society. Carol initiates a solitary struggle to rescue humanity from this deceptive happiness.

The science fiction series "Pluribus," created and executive-produced by Vince Gilligan, who has received four Emmy Awards for "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," has recently become available on TVING and Apple TV. "Breaking Bad," which he also wrote and produced, is regarded as one of the finest television shows ever made, even securing a Guinness World Records entry in 2014. This new drama explores chaos as a higher intelligence takes over human minds and unites the spirits of people across the globe. The title comes from the Latin phrase "E Pluribus unum" (Out of many, one), found on U.S. currency.

The virus's identity continues to be a mystery, yet audiences instinctively link it to artificial intelligence (AI). The synchronized humans can answer any question perfectly, speak any language effortlessly, and always respond with politeness. It resembles a future in which human individuality, independence, and creativity have been surrendered to AI.

Even within the immune group, views are split. Carol aims to mend the world, while others dismiss her, stating, "Everyone is content and joyful—what's the issue?" In a time when people depend more on AI, Carol's warning echoes like a call to action: "Have fun. But understand this: You are betraying humanity!"

Only four episodes have been released to date, making it difficult to clearly categorize it as an anti-AI production. It might also be seen as a commentary on online collectivism or authoritarianism. Gilligan came up with the concept more than ten years ago, well before the emergence of ChatGPT. Nevertheless, outstanding science fiction frequently predicts future events.

Gilligan has clearly shown opposition to artificial intelligence. During an interview with Variety, he referred to it as "the most costly and energy-consuming form of plagiarism on the planet" and described it as "a profit-driven device for billionaires to accumulate even more wealth." He further dismissed AI-generated content as "useless repetition, similar to a cow chewing its cud." The closing credits of "Pluribus" feature the statement, "This series was made by humans."

The Netflix movie "Frankenstein," which came out around the same time, also serves as a warning about reckless scientific progress. Directed by Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth," "The Shape of Water"), it presents a contemporary take on Mary Shelley's famous novel. The overconfident scientist Frankenstein combines body parts from battlefields to build a human-like "monster." Although his long-term experiment is successful, he is unable to manage the creature and leaves it behind. The monster, rejected by its creator, starts pursuing its maker.

Del Toro has also expressed his disapproval of artificial intelligence. During an interview with NPR, he stated, "I'm 61 years old this year and hope to never use AI until the day I pass away. I would rather die than utilize it." He further mentioned, "I aimed to depict Frankenstein as similar to modern-day tech moguls. The character in the movie recklessly creates something without thinking about the outcomes. We need to take a step back and consider our direction."