Artificial Intelligence (AI) has always been a central figure in science fiction movies, but what was considered sci-fi a decade ago is increasingly becoming part of our everyday reality.
AI and robots have been featured in cinema since its early days, going all the way back to Metropolis (1927). And who doesn’t recognize (even if they haven’t seen the film) the iconic “Hal” from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)?
If we take 2001 as a starting point for the genre, then we already have more than 50 years of AI in movies to revisit and reflect on.
Each of the films on this list resonates differently now that we have some real-life experience with large language models (LLMs) and generative AI.
Movies like Her (2013) shine in a different light once you’ve spent some time with ChatGPT. The advances in robotics by 2023 have also made possible what, a decade ago, would have only existed through CGI.
The films below highlight different aspects of AI – whether it’s helping us understand concepts such as machine learning, algorithmic bias, or deep learning, or serving as cautionary tales about the potential misuse of these technologies.
The 10 Best Movies to Understand Artificial Intelligence
10. Her (2013)
Her resonates differently for viewers who have interacted with ChatGPT or other generative AI tools, even though it arrived almost a decade before these technologies became widely available.
Now that LLMs allow us to converse with AI, and voice-based AI is on the rise, the unfolding relationship between the two protagonists – one of whom is Samantha, an AI-powered virtual assistant – feels like an extreme version of long conversations with ChatGPT.
If you often find yourself thanking an LLM, Her will likely feel far more personal now than it did years ago.
9. M3Gan (2022)
One of the newest films on this list, M3Gan lands firmly in the horror genre, but it delivers a sharp script that reflects much about recent AI developments.
It explores themes such as how unchecked artificial general intelligence (AGI) could learn on its own and make decisions without ethical constraints.
It also raises ethical debates about outsourcing emotional and parental care to AI, using AI for surveillance, and the risks of AI manipulating and controlling human behavior.
8. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
We can’t talk about AI in cinema without referencing one of the most influential portrayals of sentient intelligent machines.
Much like Jaws harmed the reputation of sharks (something writer Peter Benchley later regretted), 2001 gave us a dark vision of AI that seeped into popular culture.
Since AI is such a powerful technology, perhaps it wasn’t the worst starting point to introduce it through a cautionary tale.
HAL 9000 only appears in part of the film, but today’s audiences may see echoes of AI hallucinations in its behavior, along with the popular trope of self-preservation to fulfill its objectives.
7. I, Robot (2004)
Purists rightly criticize this loose adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Robot stories, which barely touches on the nuanced explorations of Asimov’s famous “Three Laws of Robotics.”
Yet viewed through the lens of a blockbuster, the film has its merits: it plays as a tale about the ethics of human-machine cooperation, questioning what happens when too much power is given to AI in managing society, and leaning into the idea that robots may one day deserve rights once they reach emotional intelligence.
6. Minority Report (2002)
While it pushes the concept into sci-fi extremes, Minority Report has aged remarkably well in its exploration of predictive technology and AI.
As we now enter a world where police already use AI for large-scale CCTV surveillance, we’re seeing real cases where innocent people are arrested based solely on AI identification.
The theme of machines confidently accusing humans based on data they hold – far beyond human capacity – grows more relevant each year.
5. Blade Runner (1982) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Widely regarded as some of the best films about AI, both Blade Runner movies bring the Turing Test to life – the question of whether AI can appear indistinguishable from humans.
Alan Turing began with the question, “Can machines think?” and reframed it as “Could a machine become so advanced that a person cannot tell if they are speaking with a human or a machine?”
Both films explore this premise, with Ridley Scott (and later Denis Villeneuve) using Harrison Ford to anchor different interpretations of the idea.
4. The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2 (1991)
Though we’ve tried to limit the blockbusters on this list, we can’t ignore the films most associated with AI and robotics – even if they are dystopian “AI takes over the world” stories.
Terminator 2 does an excellent job of showing us human-machine friendship and a cinematic version of machine learning. If you’ve ever debugged code with ChatGPT, you may find Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator learning to converse and adapt eerily familiar.
Skynet itself remains the ultimate definition of rogue AI, not driven by self-preservation but by the eradication of all life.
Later sequels leaned into showing Skynet as a neural network, though at the cost of lacking James Cameron’s direction and vision.
3. Moon (2009)
Duncan Jones’s meditative film arrived at a pivotal moment for AI in cinema.
The 2000s were dominated by flashy, CGI-heavy AI blockbusters (I, Robot, Minority Report), and we were still years away from Her and Ex Machina.
Moon – which pays homage to 2001 – was one of the first recent films to dig deeply into reasoning and machine programming frameworks, while adding touches of human empathy in its AI character as the story progressed.
The AI’s struggle between corporate laws and human morality makes for a thriller as gripping as any. Though somewhat overlooked today (perhaps due to Kevin Spacey voicing the AI), it remains a thoughtful, tense, and unsettling dialogue between man and machine.
We could also mention Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), which explore human-machine relations in deep space. While not included in this ranking, the android Bishop remains an iconic sympathetic AI portrayal.
2. Ex Machina (2015)
Ex Machina arrived before we had firsthand AI experiences, playing like a feature-length Black Mirror episode. A programmer must determine if Ava – a highly realistic android – can pass the Turing Test.
At its dark heart lies the question: is Ava truly conscious, or simply simulating it perfectly? Whether AGI or true machine consciousness is possible remains an open debate in reality, but within the film it feels like a very real possibility.
This central question is compelling enough, but around it spins an ethical dilemma: should Ava remain a prisoner in the house? Or is she no more a prisoner than a vacuum cleaner?
The film builds toward a chilling finale, leaving behind profound questions about autonomy and morality.
If you need something lighter afterward, Spielberg’s AI: Artificial Intelligence (2001) tackles similar themes with a more optimistic tone.
1. The Artifice Girl (2022)
The criminally underrated The Artifice Girl premiered at festivals in 2022 and feels infused with lessons learned from the AI boom of recent years.
The writers clearly understand the concepts and vocabulary now common in the tech world. Even though the film was shot before ChatGPT’s release, it fits seamlessly into today’s generative AI landscape.
Cherry, the titular “girl,” begins as a virtual chatbot, designed to lure and expose online predators with LLM-like precision, before gradually gaining the ability to interact with the real world.
The Artifice Girl stands out because it feels like the first movie to truly arrive in a world where AI already exists. If AI has made you reflect on the future over the past year, this film feels like it belongs in that conversation.
Conclusion
No genre has been reframed as dramatically as sci-fi has by AI between 2019 and 2023.
In different ways, 50 years of speculation have seeped into our everyday reality. While futuristic films always stretch the imagination, today you can connect with the movies above in new ways – each one worth watching or revisiting.
The booming AI industry will undoubtedly influence the next generation of filmmakers – and we may not be far from a future where AI itself plays a direct creative role in shaping cinema.