ChatGPT Creator Watches 'Ex Machina' But 'Can't Figure Out' Why Everyone Told Him to See It

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman finally watched “Ex Machina” and it sparked some lingering questions about the dangerously smart AI featured in the movie’s resemblance to current reality. 

What Happened: Altman finally watched the 2014 acclaimed science fiction film “Ex Machina” featuring Oscar Isaac as a tech billionaire who creates a humanoid robot named “Ava,” driven by AI capabilities. 

The OpenAI CEO took to Twitter and expressed his intrigue with the film but said he “can’t figure out” why he had been encouraged to watch it. 

See Also: Sundar Pichai Agrees With Sam Altman, Elon Musk: AI Is Too ‘Important Not To Regulate Well’

finally watched ex machina last night. pretty good movie but i can't figure out why everyone told me to watch it.

— Sam Altman (@sama) June 1, 2023

Naturally, the Twitterverse responded, highlighting the striking relevance of “Ex Machina” to the present AI landscape and shedding light on the Turing test, a pivotal aspect of the film’s storyline. 

Tweeps engaged in lively discussions, emphasizing the disparities and similarities between Ava’s seductive power in the movie and OpenAI’s chatGPT. 

While one user humorously asked Altman if GPT-4 had tried to seduce him yet, others told him to watch “Her” featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson, as well as “Escape.” 

Here are some top reactions: 

my take away was that it suggests passing the Turing test is not enough to fully evaluate an AI's capabilities or consciousness. you see the need for more comprehensive testing to fully understand complex behaviour that an ai may exhibit such as planning, deception, and a desire…

— abdullah (@bdullahmostafa) June 1, 2023

That she smiles when nobody is looking is the most intelligent part of an otherwise slightly overrated movie

"Her" is better, the "escape" scenario there is more profound than the one in Ex Machina

"Upgrade" is an action flick, but its 'escape scenario' is also interesting

— Tivra (@WasPraxis) June 1, 2023

This plugin is not available yet 😅

— Michel L. B. (@baube19) June 1, 2023

I.e., it's because people don't understand how unrealistic sci-fi AI movies are compared to actual AI and it's led to people projecting their human experiences onto extremely complex yet overly-glorified calculators that have cool applications

— SMA 🏴‍☠️ (e/con) (@generic_void) June 1, 2023

Why It’s Important: Altman’s tweet triggered the ongoing conversations surrounding the potential risk and ethical considerations associated with AI developments. 

Previously, Altman had stressed the importance of responsible AI practices and the need to address the challenges posed by this cutting-edge technology. 

A survey report stated that 61% of Americans believe that the fast-paced growth of AI could endanger the future of humanity and over two-thirds expressed concerns about its potential negative impacts. 

However, the godfather of virtual reality, Jaron Lanier, previously addressed these concerns saying that things like AI outsmarting humans and taking over the world only happen in science fiction movies like “The Matrix and Terminator.”

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