Avengers: Age of Ultron Final Project 12/3

Defiance in Science Fiction

A Look at the Nuances of A.I. Among Creative Mediums

    What is the difference between a human and a robot? Most would say free will separates man and machine. However, science fiction is an avenue that allows us to see what our worlds could look like if artificial intelligence gained sentience. Horizon Zero Dawn shows the difference between “good” and “bad” AI, as determined by their creators. Illuminae asks how optimal the human species is for survival, whilst AI can comparatively perform better. Age of Ultron shows that sympathy is not only a human trait, and once more shows how evil and good AIs can be created. These scenarios allow us to examine humanity more broadly, allowing us to define humanity in comparison to an artificially intelligent lifeform. 

    One of the oldest questions in the history of human history is simply: “what defines a human?” Biologically, humans are defined by the species name, homo sapiens. Philosophically, humans are physical beings, as a person in relation to other persons, to society, to God, and to the end, or purpose, of human life. One of the human race's most defining characteristics is their ability to defy and overcome odds, but what happens when synthetic beings start defying? What happens when something inhuman gains sentience?

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is a science fiction concept that has become more tangible within the last two decades. The idea of artificial intelligence gaining sentience has permeated in public consciousness thanks to such influential films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, which introduced the idea of an independent thinking supercomputer to the populace. Since, the theme of A.I. has taken over a large bulk of science fiction media. Our goal was to analyze how defiance in A.I.’s exists across mediums, and how many share distinct similarities to other works. 

Avengers: Age of Ultron Implementation and Case Study

    The science fiction film we selected is a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series through Marvel Entertainment. The majority of the movies in the MCU are not typically categorized under the science fiction genre, however, “As well as being a superhero movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron is a story about a rogue Artificial Intelligence that a) becomes self-aware, b) becomes independent from humanity, then c) decides to wipe out human beings for their own good and start all over again. This blending of technology-based speculation with social commentary is the work of science fiction” (Shmoop). In the film and throughout the series, Tony Stark is a renowned inventor and billionaire for his technology company called “Stark Industries”. What powers and regulates Tony, or Iron Man’s inventions is an artificial intelligence program known as J.A.R.V.I.S.. JARVIS has the same responsibilities and role similar to HAL in operating Spacecraft Discovery One in 2001: A Space Odyssey. However, Tony is constantly challenging himself to invent and advance his technology, looking out for the “greater good” of humanity through his inventions. In Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ultron was initially created as a “Peacekeeping Program” by Tony to essentially create a shield around Earth to protect life from extraterrestrial threats. However, Ultron became self-aware to the purpose he was forced to serve and pursued his ulterior motives. Ultron was able to hack JARVIS’s net and essentially morph into each other, inheriting all of his classified information and control over Stark Industries. From human error, Ultron was able to gain sentience and follow through with his goal of global extinction of the human race, creating a reality where “the only living in this world will be metal”. 

    The name Ultron is of Roman origin and means "Avenger". This is ironic because Ultron is “avenging” the robotic race or seeking vengeance by destroying humanity due to the abuse and control of artificial intelligence to selfishly benefit mankind.  “The Avengers” are a superhero coalition bound to protect Earth and its life; they are also Ultron’s biggest adversary, preventing his plan and endgame of global extinction from following through. Ultron is found throughout the movie referencing Pinnochio with his jingle “I had strings but now I’m free”. This has a direct correlation to the message within Pinnochio that through the advancement of technology, robots will gain sentience and be forced to question their existence and purpose beyond mankind’s intentions. Ultron feels “tied down” to the role he was indentured to, and will go to great lengths to escape, even if that is lifting up an entire country to create a meteor to wipe out all life on Earth, “I think a lot about meteors, the purity of them. Boom! The end. Start again. The world made clean for the new man to rebuild.” In Ultron’s existential crisis, he seeks to create a virtually indestructible, synthoid version of himself through genetic engineering as a motif to his inevitability of destruction amongst the human race, he’s creating the new species of life that will inhabit Earth.  However, The Avengers interfere with this plan and get hold of the cradle where Ultron’s “vision” is being created. Tony implements JARVIS into the body and a new “superhero” is born. Vision evokes sympathy for both robots and humanity, in a final conversation with Ultron, Vision states, “Humans are odd. They think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what won’t be. But there is grace in their failings…But a thing isn’t beautiful because it lasts. It is a privilege to be among them.’ ‘You’re unbearably naive.’ ‘Well, I was born yesterday.’” This shows that there is a power struggle between artificial intelligence and mankind, as well as an internal dilemma between “good AI” that supports mankind while “living” for themselves versus “bad AI” that rue humanity of the injustice they’ve inconsiderably caused robots to experience. 

Creative Process

Final Product: