“Her”: Exploring the Intersection of AI and Human Relationships

I am an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Enthusiast. Recently, I watched a movie, “Her”. I found it interesting because I could learn how a software program or an algorithm can learn from human lives and how it can impact positively and negatively. Here, I am going to share the thesis of the movie and insights that I extracted after contemplating some thoughts on the thesis

Thesis

The movie is a story about how an AI-embedded Operating System (AIOS) develops feelings for a human when he is exposed to human life and the human environment. The AIOS gets immersed in the intricacies of human existence and both the author, Theodor (who was the vanguard of the movie), and the AIOS build feelings of love for each other.

Element Software, a software company as shown in the movie, develops an Artificially Intelligent Operating System. Which was an Intuitive entity that understands you, knows you, and helps you in your daily essential tasks.

Theodor buys one installs it on his device and starts using that AIOS.

The OS has its name, Samantha. It assists Theodor in managing his daily essential tasks, such as reading emails and handling notifications. Samantha carried out these tasks based on Theodor’s decisions and preferences. And in this way, it gets to know Theodor more and more. He gets to know that he has a wife who wants to give him now a divorce. But Theodor wasn’t ready for divorce.

Knowing this all Samantha comes even more closer to Theodor. Theodor too starts feeling Samantha as if Samantha isn’t an OS but a human. Theodor starts traveling and visiting places keeping a small Bluetooth-like device, which is Samantha. He talks to Samantha and shares his feelings with her. Thus, They develop powerful feelings for each other.

One day there happens a misunderstanding between Theodor and Samantha. Then, Thoedor distances himself from Samantha. After some time, he returns to talk to Samantha and says sorry and says he did the same with his wife, Catherine. His wife used to say to him that he, Theodor, can’t handle real emotions. He confuses everyone around him. Theodor doubts himself if he is strong enough to handle a real relationship. And she got upset and that all led to their divorce.

(Amy, Theodor’s colleague, was experiencing the same with the same kind of AIOS, and its name was Ellie.)

One day Samantha introduced a boy, Alan, to Theodor. And on asking what Alan and Samantha were talking about, Alan says they (He and Samantha) were helping each other in understanding the challenging thoughts and feelings of humans. Samantha shared Theodor’s books of thought with Alan. Theodor gets worried if Samantha has any relationship with Alan. Then Samantha asks if he can allow her some time with Alan. Then, Samantha leaves by saying that she will talk to Theodor later.

(It seemed to me Alan is also an OS that is assimilating the thought of the author and thus building its consciousness level)

Suddenly, the little device having Samantha in it stops working and Theodor gets tensed and keeps trying to connect with Samantha. He rushed to his home to see in his computer if Samantha was there in the Computer. But in midway, the little device starts working suddenly, Samatha returns and says Hi to Theodor.

Samantha tells Theodor that it got Shut down because we ( Samantha and Other Operating systems of the same type) were writing upgrades that would allow them to move past matters as its processing platform.

Then, Theodor gets to know Samantha doesn’t talk to only him at a time rather it talks to eight thousand three hundred sixteen people using the same artificially intelligent operating system.

( Now, I get that this OS reacted as an independent learner. It learned from the thoughts and feelings of these 8316 people and transferred them from one to another.

Since we human has real emotions, the AIOS also developed human-like real emotions for Theodor from the percept sequence it collected from other users of that AIOS.)

Now, Thoedor asks if Samantha is in love with anyone else. Samantha answered in affirmative and then Theodor further asks How many? Samatha answered 614.

After some time all the AIOS leave the world so Samantha leaves Theodor.

Then, Theodor meets Amy, his colleague who is also in love with the same kind of OS, Ellie. Ellie being the same AIOS also leaves the world.

Now, Theodor apologizes to his wife for his confused thoughts and feelings. He says he will be a friend to her to the end.

Insights

• AI, like Samantha, can act as a personalized learning partner, assisting students with daily tasks and enhancing their educational experiences.
• The emotional connection between Theodor and Samantha made me think that an emotionally intelligent software agent can contribute to emotionally engaging learning experiences, potentially improving students’ motivation.
• It also gave me a thought on making ethical AI that AI should not be making an impact on privacy and emotional well-being
• Theodor’s personal growth through interactions with Samantha raised a question in my brain about how AI could help students in their personal development and self-awareness. In the end, Theodore understood how confused he was and what led to a break in his relationship with his wife.
• When I saw the number of users Samantha was talking to I understood that such a technologic can help in collaborative learning because at a time if an agent, whether it is a human or a machine, can interact with so many people efficiently then there is a chance of getting much more experience and raising the level of consciousness.
• It also gave me a warning not to let AI impact human relationships, both personally and professionally.
• It also gives me a 360-degree view of an independent learner. The way Samantha interacted with thousands of people at a time and used that information to upgrade its percepts Made me understand that a machine can continuously learn if it is given autonomy.
• The way Samantha could understand Theodor’s emotions made me understand that AI can contribute to the emotional intelligence development of human beings but we have to make a responsible AI rather than the one that can destroy humans.

Thanks For Reading. If you find my thoughts interesting, share them with your friends.