Humanity may not have reached the point where we've created true artificial intelligence, but that hasn't stopped the movies from creating them for us. Whether they're helpful heroes, like Mr. Data from ‘Star Trek,’ or malevolent, human-destroying baddies like Skynet, these A.I. offer a glimpse of what the future holds.
HAL 9000 in '2001: A Space Odyssey' (1969)
When it comes to evil computers running amok, they don't get more iconic than HA. This rogue intelligence, with his unblinking red eye, coldly plotted and executed the deaths of most of the Discovery One crew. However, HAL was ultimately a tragic figure, as it died simply trying to carry out the mission it was given.
Ash in 'Alien' (1979)
In the 'Alien' universe, artificial intelligence has progressed to the point where many Weyland-Yutani employees can't even tell the difference between their fleshy and synthetic co-workers. Example: Ash, a medical-officer-turned-milk-bleeding killer aboard the Nostromo.
Bishop in 'Aliens' (1986)
The only thing dangerous about the second A.I. Ripley ever worked with is his “knife” trick. Otherwise, Bishop is as brave and selfless as they come – even when he’s ripped in half by the Alien Queen.
Roy Batty in 'Blade Runner' (1982)
'Alien' director Ridley Scott introduced another brand of synthetic humans in this adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'. Rutger Hauer brought an intense charisma to Roy Batty, a psychologically unhinged -- but tragic – villain, desperately searching for a reprieve from his impending death. His death soliloquy is one of the greatest in cinematic history.
WOPR in 'WarGames' (1983)
“Do you want to play a game?” In 'WarGames,' WOPR (or War Operation Plan Response) is an A.I. system designed to take charge of America's nuclear weapons arsenal in the event of all-out war. Only through the help of hacker David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) does WOPR learn the meaning of futility and the lesson, “The only winning move is not to play.”
Skynet in 'The Terminator' Series (1984 - 2015)
In the seemingly inevitable future of the Terminator universe, the world is ruled by Skynet and its legion of Terminator robots. The Terminators are ruthless extensions of Skynet's will and the face of this enemy, which remained largely unseen until 2009's 'Terminator: Salvation.'
Data in 'Star Trek: First Contact' (1996)
Audiences first fell for this yellow-eyed android on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.’ His search for emotions came to a close in his first film, ‘Star Trek: Generations,’ and the cost of having them was put to the test in ‘Star Trek: First Contact,’ when he went up against the manipulative Borg Queen.
Agent Smith in 'The Matrix' (1999)
This modern sci-fi classic introduced a world where machines use humans as batteries and trap their minds in a complex digital simulation. Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is one of many A.I. programs tasked with policing the Matrix and quelling any resistance. His constant exposure to humanity literally drove him mad, eventually making him as much a threat to the Matrix itself as heroes like Keanu Reeves' Neo.
David in 'A.I.: Artificial Intelligence' (2001)
'A.I.' is basically Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg's take on the familiar tale of Pinocchio. Haley Joel Osment's David is a lifelike robot whose programming causes him to develop an immediate, deep attachment to his “mother.” When his family rejects him, David (with the help of his sentient teddy bear) spends the rest of this sad, somber journey trying to prove that he and his love are real.
Gerty in 'Moon' (2009)
Gerty is an A.I. helper in the tradition of HAL 9000. However, thanks to his rudimentary, emoticon-based means of expression and the dulcet tones of Kevin Spacey, Gerty is a far less threatening figure than HAL. Though equally bound by his programming, Gerty proved more friend than foe in the end.
Samantha in 'Her' (2013)
Could a computer program become so lifelike and realistic that a person could fall in love with it? That was the question director Spike Jonze explored in this romantic drama. Scarlett Johansson's voice work brought the advanced OS Samantha to life and made her deep bond with Joaquin Phoenix's Theodore all the more believable.
