From HAL 9000 to M3GAN: what film’s evil robots tell us about contemporary tech fears

M3GAN, the AI companion gone rogue, encapsulates many of our anxieties about technology.
M3GAN 2.0. Image: Universal Pictures

By Adam Daniel, Western Sydney University

Filmgoers have long been captivated by stories about robots. We are fascinated by their utopian promise, their superhuman intelligence and, in the case of the cyborg, their often uncanny resemblance to humans.

But it is the evil robot – the machine that malfunctions, rebels or was built to harm – that has most powerfully gripped the collective imagination of audiences.

Unlock Padlock Icon

Unlock this content?

Access this content and more