Standard News

Hide Advertisement
  • Business
  • Culture
  • News
  • Technology
  • Trending
Site logo
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Gender and emotion examined in artificial intelligence tale ‘Morgan’

September 1, 2016 | By Reuters
File photo of Kate Mara arriving at the 22nd Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles

By Piya Sinha-Roy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The struggle to replicate human emotion in artificial intelligence is often explored in movies, but what happens when an artificial being is too emotional?

Advertisement

“Morgan,” out in theaters on Friday, is set in a near future reality where a group of scientists from a corporate AI company breed a synthetic baby.

Aged 5 but growing faster than a human child, Morgan, played by 20-year-old Anya Taylor-Joy, looks like female teenager and is a highly intelligent being with outbursts of deadly anger.

When Morgan is told by her human minder that she is no longer allowed outdoors and instead must stay in a caged underground room where she is constantly observed, she stabs her in the eye.

In comes the immaculately groomed corporate agent Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) to determine whether Morgan should be terminated.

“I had to hold back on most emotions because my character is rather unemotional and very even-keeled and calculated, very focused,” Mara said in an interview.

The film centers on its three lead female characters who include “Game of Thrones” actress Rose Leslie as Morgan’s closest friend, and Morgan’s struggle with gender identity. Half the scientists identify the being as “her,” while the other half including Lee Weathers coldly refer to Morgan as “it.”

Director Luke Scott said Taylor-Joy brought a childlike, vulnerable and “otherworldly” element to Morgan.

“I did consider male actors, but we talked about it and we thought it was better to find a great female lead,” he said.

“Morgan,” the first feature film for Scott, son of veteran filmmaker Ridley Scott, comes on the heels of Alex Garland’s 2015 independent sci-fi hit “Ex Machina,” in which Alicia Vikander played a female robot that outsmarts the humans who created her.

The film came out just as “Morgan” was about to start shooting, Scott said, and while he called Garland’s movie “quite niche,” he added that it made him rethink parts of “Morgan.”

“There’s a lot of philosophy in there,” Scott said.

“I thought that was terrific, but for me it was a good lesson in that initially I wanted to start moving in that direction. But watching “Ex Machina,” I thought: ‘Do you know what? I’m going to steer clear of this and perhaps be a little bit more entertaining and go for action.'”

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Peter Cooney)

tagreuters.com2016binary_LYNXNPEC8023I-VIEWIMAGE

← Previous Post Next Post →
Advertisement - Continue reading below
Share  On Facebook

Colorado city to pay restitution to poor jailed in ‘debtor prison’

Decaying Olympic-Sized Ice Skating Arena Is Sure To Make You Nostalgic

This Family of 7 Lives Off The Grid And Makes It Look Easy

Alabama’s top judge faces ethics charges over gay-marriage order

Homeless teen charged with murdering University of Texas student

Ohio prosecutor reviewing Cincinnati Zoo gorilla case

During siege, Orlando gunman told police he was ‘Islamic soldier’

Maryland prosecutors appeal new trial ruling for ‘Serial’ podcast’s Adnan Syed

Streaming activity keeps Drake on top of Billboard 200 chart

Martin Luther King Jr.’s heirs end Nobel medal dispute

load more Loading posts...

sidebar

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

sidebar-alt

  • About Us
  • Imprint
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy