What happens when robots read too much into
the instructions that they are given? What
happens when the interpretation of commands
is not simple, but involves judging of the
relevance of the command and ensuing action
in context with the larger picture of the
wellbeing of humanity? What happens when robots
start to outthink humans and overdo their
own duty in such a way that mankind is endangered?
That is what I Robot explored. The robots
in this movie have not turned against mankind,
nor do they have evil intentions. They have
just become a little more intelligent than
necessary, overlooking simple directives in
favor of keeping the larger goal in tact.
It gives rise to big trouble as robots begin
to realize that the biggest enemy of mankind
is man himself and thus decide to take over
the world and run it in a way that mankind
stops its self-destructive activities. A very
interesting paradox wherein a machine built
to serve man begins to lord over him in order
to serve him better! A perfect elucidation
of the saying, ‘science is a good servant,
but a bad master!’
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