If you’’re a tech leader—and even if you’re not—you owe it to yourself to watch at least a couple of the films on this list. Each raises profound ethical questions and are gripping to boot.
So here are 5 lesser-known works of cinema waiting for you online or on old-fashioned DVD or Blu-Ray discs. For each film I’m including:
- a reference to an ethical question raised by the film
- a reference for digging more deeply into the film’s ethical issues
- The Rotten Tomatoes rating at the time of this article’s publication
- where to watch
1. Coded Bias
What does your phone see when you look at it?
Release Date: 2020
Director: Shalini Kantayya
Main Cast: Features Joy Buolamwini and other experts
Summary: This documentary explores the biases embedded in AI algorithms, particularly in facial recognition technology.
Ethical Question: How can we address and mitigate biases in AI systems to prevent harm and ensure fairness?
To Learn More: The Digital Due Process Clinic at Cornell University has created a nifty one-page PDF called “Coded Bias: An Annotated Reading List on Facial Recognition”
Why You Should Watch: It’s an accessible take on some of the ethical challenges that AI poses today.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 100%
Where to Watch: Streaming on Netflix
2. The Artifice Girl
David Girard Tatum Matthews, Franklin Ritch, and Sinda Nichols from “The Artifice Girl”
Release Date: 2022
Director and Writer: Franklin Ritch
Starring: Tatum Matthews, David Girard, and Sinda Nichols
Summary: A team of special agents discovers a revolutionary AI program used to bait and catch online predators.
Ethical Question: Is it ethical to use AI in law enforcement without considering potential unintended consequences?
To Learn More: “Ethical AI in Law Enforcement: Navigating the Balance Between Innovation and Responsibility” by Jared Barnhart is a good overview of some of the major ethical issues associated with the role of artificial intelligence in the police force
Why You Should Watch: Offers a low-budget yet impactful exploration of AI’s darker ethical challenges.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 92%
Where to Watch: Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
3. Ghost in the Shell (animated film)
We are unable to present an from this film, so instead, here’s a picture of a fan of Japanese manga … [+]
Release Date: 1996
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Writer: Kazunori Itō
Main Actors (Voice): Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Ōtsuka, Kōichi Yamadera
Summary: A cyborg policewoman and her partner hunt a mysterious and powerful hacker called the Puppet Master, an autonomous AI program
Ethical Question: How do we define identity and consciousness in beings that are part human and part machine?
To Learn More: Donna Haraway’s pioneering essay, “The Cyborg Manifesto,” contained in her book, Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature, discusses the boundaries between humans, animals, and machines.
Why You Should Watch: A seminal work in anime that delves into the philosophical aspects of AI and humanity.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 95%
Where to Watch: Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
4. Metropolis (1927)
A poster for Fritz Lang’s 1927 drama ‘Metropolis’ starring Brigitte Helm.
Release Date: 1927
Director: Fritz Lang
Writers: Fritz Lang, Thea von Harbou
Starring: Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich
Summary: A silent classic, Metropolis presents a disturbing vision of the future in which the wealthy live in luxury, workers toil underground, and a scientist creates a humanoid robot to control people.
Ethical Question: Do we have an ethical responsibility to ensure that AI will not manipulate and oppress others?
To Learn More: Cathy O’Neil’s book Weapons of Math Destruction examines how algorithms and AI are used to perpetuate inequality and exploitation in education, employment, and the criminal justice system
Why You Should Watch: It’s a groundbreaking classic that laid the foundation for discussions about AI ethics. Don’t let its age turn you off. It remains essential viewing and entertaining (if troubling) to boot.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 97%
Where to Watch: Streaming on Max or available on Blu-Ray through Kino Lorber Films
5. Robot & Frank
Actors Jeremy Strong, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Liv Tyler and director Jake Schreier attend the … [+]
Release Date: 2012
Director: Jake Schreier
Writer: Christopher Ford
Starring: Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden and Liv Tyler
Summary: An aging ex-convict receives a robot caretaker from his son, which leads to an unusual partnership in crime
Ethical Question: What are the moral implications of forming personal bonds with AI companions?
To Learn More: Sherry Turkle’s book, Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other,” discusses human-robot relationships within the broader cultural shifts arising from our increasing dependence on technology.
Why You Should Watch: A heartwarming and humorous look at companionship and the evolving role of AI in daily life.
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 87%
Where to Watch: Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
“Where are my favorite films about AI ethics?”
“Where are my favorite AI-ethics movies?”
You may be wondering why this list doesn’t include Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Her, or AI: Artificial Intelligence. They’re not on this list because they are all well known and far from underrated. Of course, even if you’ve seen them before, each is worth watching again, particularly with an eye toward the ethical issues they raise.
But there are many other films about AI ethics worth considering. Because of space limitations, we are not able to include them here. But we will in a future article, so stay tuned!
This post was originally published on here
