The Artifice Girl (2022)

As someone who wasn't entirely too impressed with Ex Machina, The Artifice Girl feels like the necessary response to artificial intelligence that I initially wanted. Where the prior film reads like a warning sign on avoiding the creation of that technology, this one acknowledges that the technology is already here and has kind of already been here. Though this film obviously still uses a fictionalized version of AI where the AI has generated its own system of emotions, it explores what humanity's responsibilities are considering it has created "life".

The Artifice Girl is extremely clever in how it executes its story within its obvious budgetary restraints. Split into three parts, the first two parts are entirely set in a single room and the vast majority of part 3 is also set in a single room, just intercut with some location footage. The way the film leans into its performances keep the film grounded and the nuances in the conversations keep the momentum going, creating an almost snowball effect that barrels towards a gut punch of an ending. It's a script that could work really well in the world of theater, but somehow finds its cinematic vessel and empathy.

AI is all the rage right now. OpenAI has revealed Sora, an extremely sophisticated video generator that is only going to get better. AI isn't a person yet, but it can create things you would think was created by a person. In other words, Pandora's Box has already been opened. Similarly to being able to have children, we've created things that can create things, which philosophically puts us in the frameworks of a god, but is humanity ready for the responsibilities of a god? The Artifice Girl ponders this, heart-wrenchingly, and offers an answer.

4.5/5