Review: Do You Trust This Computer?

… because you probably shouldn’t. “Do You Trust This Computer” is the newest feature from director Chris Paine (“Who Killed The Electric Car?”). In it, he paints a clear picture of how artificial intelligence and other smart technologies are changing our world – from the very good to the disturbingly bad.

At an hour and eighteen minutes, the film is accessible to viewers unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the world of AI. Given its content, it is also relatively easily digestible. While it packs a heavy punch, it also clarifies information already in the back of our minds – namely, that like it or not, this is the direction the world is headed.

While the idea of conscious machines often feels more like science fiction than reality, the film deters viewers from this idea by focusing on elements of AI that we already see in our everyday lives. Most people are familiar with the robot Sophia from social media or follow one of the many AI/computer generated “Instagram models” like @lilmiquela. Amazon’s Alexa, while simple in comparison to currently developing AI, is making its way into the homes, dorm rooms, and even memes of America. The film goes into this – artificial intelligence is already involved in life on earth in ways that we don’t even think of. 

Perhaps the eeriest parts of the film are the ones focusing on the military’s use of AI as well as Cambridge Analytica. In ways we cannot begin to fathom and through programming the programmers themselves don’t fully understand, the ethics of our world are shifting. Would Donald Trump have been elected without the use of AI? Did it play as key a role as we think? What about Brexit? The answers to these questions are only becoming more evident as we move into the future.

The director mentioned at the screening that this film may have fit more as a series – the world of AI is enormous, and “Do You Trust This Computer” barely scratches the surface. Yet in many ways, I appreciated the bite-sized introduction to the world that is our future. The film serves as a gateway for the general public to become aware of what is happening and to become more conscious technology users. Do you trust this computer? I wouldn’t.

★ ★ ★

Directed by: Chris Paine

Written by: Mark Monroe

Release Date: 5 April 2018