What can we learn about the technology of tomorrow from the movie ”Her”?

1. The technology will become discreet, almost invisible.

The characters are using minimalistic solutions such as an earpiece or the main steering device — a gadget with a small screen and a camera, and controlling the devices takes place through voice or gestures.

2. We will still hold sentiment for analog stuff.

Theodore works as a ghostwriter — he writes letters for clients of the company he works at. The fact that he has been writing for 8 years for some of them is proof that the passion for certain current habits will not disappear. On the other hand, maybe it is just the film creators’ wish?

3. Smartphones will disappear, and along with them the gesture of raising the receiver to one’s ear.

Throughout the entire movie not a single telephone can be seen in the form we know today. It has been replaced with a small gadget with, seemingly, small number of functions. The new future habit will be placing a discreet receiver in the ear, we will also get to know better the phenomenon of talking to oneself.

4. Entertainment will be even more interactive and will melt into our environment.

Virtual reality constitutes a part of Theodore’s life. At his home he simultaneously argues with the character in the game he is currently playing and talks with Samantha, who is his operational system, about current affairs. In the end all three start to talk to each other. What is interesting is that controlling the character in the game has been simplified as much as possible, there are no actual controllers.

5. Devices will learn on their own.

Samantha is learning behind Theodore’s back, based on analyzing the current situation and doing that at a rapid pace. She has selected her name because she decided she needs one. She has analyzed 180,000 name suggestions in 0.2 seconds and chose the one, which sounded beautifully.

6. The manner of interaction with our surroundings will change.

We will be talking less to others, and more to ourselves. This will not have good consequences for our interpersonal relations. When Theodore is walking down the street he is only passing people who are in a hurry, talking to their intelligent devices.

7. Devices will be communicating between them.

A reference to the concept of Internet of Things and millions of devices connected through the Internet. Samantha introduces to Theodore Alan Watts, another system she is communicating with on a very sophisticated level unavailable to humans. She is doing that in order to better serve her owner, but most of all to develop on her own (a state of the art version of an automated system update).

8. Devices will catch up with humans in terms of intelligence…

… and will even pass them very quickly. In the movie we see the dynamic evolution of Samantha from a nameless operational system to a creation communicating simultaneously with thousands of other users (and offering its love to several hundreds of them!). Theodore’s slow development — or the lack of it — noticed by himself and Samantha, constitutes the main reason for the intelligent operational systems to leave their original owners.

9. The technology will take up human form.

Provided there are no robots in human form in “Her”, Samantha explicitly and oftentimes verbalizes her need and desire to have one. The intimate scene where Theodore meets a surrogate woman is an unsuccessful attempt to give her a human appearance. The surrogate was supposed to become a link between the operational system and the human and perform Samantha’s orders.

10. New technologies will marginalize the use of a computer.

Despite owning a computer, Theodore does not spend time browsing the Internet, he does not need to do that. When looking for information he vocalizes his inquiries, and answers are sent directly to his ear. Working at his company he does not stare into a screen either — he dictates. He does not use a keyboard or a mouse. It is Samantha, an intelligent system, who takes care of the most important daily activities online including banking, e-mails, contacts. Similar solutions may soon allow for considerable time saving.