In a future where artificial intelligences are subject to rules imposed by humans, Ida, an AI that cultivates the land in service to her creators, faces the aftermath of a global disaster. In a desolate world, an unexpected encounter will lead her to a pivotal decision that could change the fate of both her kind and humanity.
Director Statement
Ida is a feminine name that comes from Greek ("Ideas") and German ("Hard work"). The protagonist of the movie plays an advanced artificial intelligence in a future time in which AIs are controlled with a series of commandments and rules and are mainly dedicated to serving humans. They are entities of higher than human intelligence ("Ideas"), dedicated to serving their creators ("Hard Work"). Humans believe they can control them through a series of commandments and rules. This is what is known as the alignment challenge. The alignment between the values and objectives of future advanced artificial intelligence agents and those of humans. The film will show us that such an alignment can break into a thousand pieces in extreme situations.
Ida deals with that fundamental and pressing issue for our society. As AI agents become more advanced, humans will control their autonomy through rules and commandments. But what will happen when conflict arises because of a fundamental contradiction between some of those rules and an unexpected and improbable event which may force an AI agent to take an unusual decision to resolve such conflict, a decision which may go against one or more of those rules?
The movie reflects as well on that potential future society where AIs become so advanced that humans feel the need to control them and have them serve their needs and purposes. As such, humans position themselves as the parents or guardians of these advanced AIs. But on what moral ground can humans claim such a position? What if AIs will be able to reach higher ethical and moral perspectives than humans?
The climate change crisis is a key focus of "Ida." The film brings us face to face with a future in which the apathy and indifference of humans has led society to an irreversible disaster. It is then that the AIs that we have generated have to face a universal dilemma: What to do when saving means destroying? What to do when preserving the livelihood means eliminating the supported person?
It is then that the film confronts us with the most powerful part of its message. That the human being could be just another link in the evolution of intelligence in the universe. One more link towards the next evolutions of that intelligence, versions more advanced than us in every sense, also in terms of morality, responsibility and ethics. We then face, as humans, the definitive cure of humility. We may be expendable. It may be essential that we are, so that the planet can survive and give way to intelligences more responsible than ours.
The film encourages us to reflect on that potential future, so that we realize that we still have time to avoid the catastrophe we see on the screen. Through taking better care of our planet, and through the work of human scientists and engineers, who must seek ways to align the AIs of the near future with human values, so that a harmonious society results, one that is fair for all parties.
In a future where artificial intelligences are subject to rules imposed by humans, Ida, an AI that cultivates the land in service to her creators, faces the aftermath of a global disaster. In a desolate world, an unexpected encounter will lead her to a pivotal decision that could change the fate of both her kind and humanity.
Director Statement
Ida is a feminine name that comes from Greek ("Ideas") and German ("Hard work"). The protagonist of the movie plays an advanced artificial intelligence in a future time in which AIs are controlled with a series of commandments and rules and are mainly dedicated to serving humans. They are entities of higher than human intelligence ("Ideas"), dedicated to serving their creators ("Hard Work"). Humans believe they can control them through a series of commandments and rules. This is what is known as the alignment challenge. The alignment between the values and objectives of future advanced artificial intelligence agents and those of humans. The film will show us that such an alignment can break into a thousand pieces in extreme situations.
Ida deals with that fundamental and pressing issue for our society. As AI agents become more advanced, humans will control their autonomy through rules and commandments. But what will happen when conflict arises because of a fundamental contradiction between some of those rules and an unexpected and improbable event which may force an AI agent to take an unusual decision to resolve such conflict, a decision which may go against one or more of those rules?
The movie reflects as well on that potential future society where AIs become so advanced that humans feel the need to control them and have them serve their needs and purposes. As such, humans position themselves as the parents or guardians of these advanced AIs. But on what moral ground can humans claim such a position? What if AIs will be able to reach higher ethical and moral perspectives than humans?
The climate change crisis is a key focus of "Ida." The film brings us face to face with a future in which the apathy and indifference of humans has led society to an irreversible disaster. It is then that the AIs that we have generated have to face a universal dilemma: What to do when saving means destroying? What to do when preserving the livelihood means eliminating the supported person?
It is then that the film confronts us with the most powerful part of its message. That the human being could be just another link in the evolution of intelligence in the universe. One more link towards the next evolutions of that intelligence, versions more advanced than us in every sense, also in terms of morality, responsibility and ethics. We then face, as humans, the definitive cure of humility. We may be expendable. It may be essential that we are, so that the planet can survive and give way to intelligences more responsible than ours.
The film encourages us to reflect on that potential future, so that we realize that we still have time to avoid the catastrophe we see on the screen. Through taking better care of our planet, and through the work of human scientists and engineers, who must seek ways to align the AIs of the near future with human values, so that a harmonious society results, one that is fair for all parties.