onscreen depiction
What the evolution of AI's onscreen depiction says about society
More than 90 years ago, one of the first onscreen depictions of an android made her debut. The Maschinenmensch, otherwise known as "Maria," terrified audiences at showings of sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis. The year was 1927, and the futuristic idea of an evil robot disguising itself as a human was distant -- a fantasy, but no less chilling. Maria played on very human fears: being controlled by that which we control, being deceived, and most importantly, being replaced. She represented a future that was bleak and scary, and though it made for an excellent film, no audience member wanted it to become a reality.