The Terminator Turns 40 - 'I'll Be Back'

James Cameron's Dystopian AI Vision Still Shapes Our AI Perceptions

I’ll Be Back.

And he did come back and quite often. The definitive rampaging robot movie, The Terminator, turns 40 this year. James Cameron (Avatar) wrote and directed the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi action thriller seeing a deadly cyborg sent from an AI controlled future Earth to destroy humanity.

Not only did the 1984 release secure Cameron’s place in Hollywood as a capable cinematic visionary, but also super charged Schwarzenegger to become one of the most bankable film superstar A-Listers of all time. Arnold went on to flesh out many roles, but many could argue this emotionless killing machine was crafted for him better than him giving birth in Junior alongside Emma Thompson and Danny Devito or leading a band of noble warriors as legendary sword and sandal icon, Conan The Barbarian.

Though originally shot on a relative shoestring budget, the indy movie has gone on to spawn mega million dollar profitable sequels, including Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines and more. We even got a short lived TV show, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which all in all, arguably, impressed as one of the better incarnations of Cameron’s savagely ruthless sci-fi creation.

But what of all that artificial intelligence talk and philosophy throughout the films? Is it all plot device fluff?

The original Terminator and its sequels are primarily action, adventure flicks splashed on a sci-fi thriller canvas. The AI issue which is now so important and talked about in society may not be depicted at all as authentic or even remotely possible, still even the casual fan probably gets a sense or at least emotional takeaway from immersing themselves in the Skynet powered universe.

Remember, folks, in the end, no matter how powerful it appears, no matter the visceral payoff, The Terminator is simply a great science fiction roller coaster ride.

It's a fantastic science fiction action romp, but ultimately, that's simply all it is: Fiction. Yet that powerful fiction can shape much of our current perceptions of AI - as we grapple with the real world ramifications of artificial intelligence, we can look at this 1984 movie with both fascination, fondness and frustration.

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