ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the role of A.I. as monster figures in speculative satire. More so than space aliens or bizarre organic creatures, A.I. is the monster of choice for Rants. As a machine created by the Regime, A.I. proves versatile to the satirist as a polemic tool to interrogate the neoliberal status quo. Three types of monstrous A.I. story are explored in the chapter. First is A.I. using humans for nefarious purposes. Examples of this narrative are Dave Eggers’ novel, The Circle (2013), and Spike Jonze’s film, Her (2013). Second is humans using A.I. for nefarious purposes. Examples of this narrative are Ridley Scott’s film, Blade Runner (1982) and Alex Garland’s film, Ex Machina (2014). The third version of A.I. monster tale is A.I. wanting to be human or humans wanting to be A.I. Examples of this weird jumble of hybridity and impending singularity are Denis Villeneuve’s film, Blade Runner 2049 (2017), and Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy’s HBO series, Westworld (2016). The focus of this chapter is not A.I. as human-level intelligence looking to supplant humanity. Instead, A.I. is investigated as an entity spawned by modern corporate culture in the pursuit of profit at any cost.
