I, Robot

Work Title: I, Robot
Medium: Film
Episode Title:
Year: 2004
Writer(s): Jeff Vintar
"Original" Writer: Yes Own work?: No
Summary:

Starring Wil Smith; "It's the year 2035, and the community now has the help of robots. These robots have three laws integrated into their system. One, they cannot harm a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Two, they must do whatever they're told by a human being as long as such orders don't conflict with law one. Three, they have to defend themselves as long as such defense doesn't conflict with laws one or two. One day, the writer of the three laws, Alfred Lanning, apparently jumps out of the tenth-floor window of U.S. Robotics. The majority of the Chicago Police Department believe that he committed suicide, but Detective Del Spooner (Smith), who hates robots, thinks he was murdered, and the number one suspect is a Nestor Class-5 robot who calls himself Sonny. However, if it was Sonny, then that means he would've had to have broken the three laws. With the help of Dr. Susan Calvin, Spooner must now discover the truth before it's too late."

Era/Year of Portrayal: distant_past
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

The year is 2035. Robots are common in every home, as servents. Cars drive themselves at super fast speeds. The robots resemble humans - will smith has a robotic arm, a transplant put in after a car accident.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: robots
  • Description of the technology: The robots are metal, etc, but appear human like, with expressive faces and voices. They are very mobile - riunning, jumping, agile and very good at fighting :) The robots are supposedly submissive, trained never to hurt a human and always to help in any way possible. The human user orders the robot what to do, as if it were a human slave. The robots appear very real - the movie depicts them in a realistic manner.
  • Nature of task or activity: The robots are a part of everyday life. For example, the grandmother orders her robot to do household tasks, like cook food. There are all types of robots for various functions.
  • Performance of the Technology: The robots initally work as programmed, but then an evil robot (which had evolved into a human like creature) takes contorl of them and the revolt against humans.
  • Description of creator(s): The initail creator is an old white scientist, maybe in his 70's, but he had created robots for a long time, presumably stating when younger. His partner is a white man in his 40's. He takes care of business. There is a young, attractive female
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): The robots were created to serve mankind, although in the process they made lots of money for the company selling them.
  • Description of users of technology: All people (who can afford them) use the robots. Even Will Smith's grandmother (a black senior citizen) wins one in a contest. Another black woman owns one in the begining of the film. Apparently, anyone can buy one.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: social_presence
  • Description of presence experience: The robots are pleasent to deal with; a slave that never gets tired or moody. They are always very polite. However, at the end of the movie when they are reprogrammed to revolt, while they are still polite, they will inflicet physical harm if the huma doesn't comply with the robots wishes.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: Everyone is aware they are using technology.
  • Valence of experience: Everyone seems to enjoy having a robot work for them, except Will Smith. He doesn't like robots becasue of their relentless efficency and lack of emotions. It is hinted that other people don't like robots, because they took jobs away form people.
  • Specific responses: The robots are like pleasent slaves; everyone likes them, but remembers that they are not human, thus no intense para-social relationships. However, Will Smith and the attractive female scientist do become friends with a robot named Sonny, who has been designed to be more human, i.e. have emotions. Will Smith has a robotic arm, which he does not seem happy to have, but in the end winds up saving them.
Long-term consequences:

The long term consequences are neagtive; the robots revilt against humans, causing harm. In the end all the robots are put into storage, which seemed strange, because you would think that they would be destroyed. So, the end is almost hopeful that humans and robots could co-exist, if the robots aren't programmed to be malevolent.

Other:

It may be important than when just robots, people did not develop socal reltioships with the robots; they were simply slaves. Once Sonny arrived, it was ok to be friends with him because he had emotions.

Coder name: Amanda Scheiner
Coder email: amandags@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University