M3GAN: The Real World Science and Philosophical Implications of a Modern Horror Classic

Could a robot like M3GAN really exist and what would the effects in the real world be like?

“I have a new primary user now…me.”

• The title character from M3GAN being bratty.

When the first trailers for the original M3GAN arrived, nobody quite expected it to be one of the horror movie sensations of recent years. But it sure did! Or, we should say, she sure did. Because like all the best horror movie protagonists who go by their first names alone (Freddy, Jason, you get the picture), M3GAN became a pop culture force all her own.

And for all the fun ridiculousness contained in that film (and, presumably, in the sequel, M3GAN 2.0 which is now in theaters), it actually raised some interesting philosophical questions. Of course, here at Does it Fly? we’re interested in the actual mechanics of building and designing M3GAN herself, but we also are fascinated by the implications of using a realistic A.I. as a therapeutic device. Maybe M3GAN isn’t the most nuanced subject for those conversations, but we dive into them, nonetheless.

We also had some of the most fun we’ve had this year in our final section, putting M3GAN “on trial” for her actions, with our hosts, Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi (prosecution) and Tamara Krinsky, Esq. (ok, not really, but she’s a hell of a defense attorney in this case) throw vibes out the window this week, so we’ll see you in court!

All this and more in the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

If you’re reading this, you already saw M3GAN, right? Good. If not, despite its somewhat campy reputation, it really is a fun piece of sci-fi with a horror edge and it absolutely deserved to be the box office hit it was. Just note that we hadn’t seen M3GAN 2.0 at the time of recording.

While 2004’s I, Robot isn’t beloved by Asimov purists (see our “further reading” section below), it’s better than its reputation suggests and comes from frequently underrated director Alex Proyas, so that’s good enough for us if you want a little context for the “three laws of robotics” discussed here.

Tamara also brings up Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report as a film about a technology that has theoretically good intentions…until it’s put into practice and immediately abused. 

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Building Your M3GAN (please do not do this)

There are three elements of M3GAN that are rooted in science fact but ultimately keep her as science fiction.

Fine Motor Control

We’ve mentioned the incredible work in humanoid (and canine) robotics being done by Boston Dynamics before, but they don’t quite have the dexterity of M3GAN…yet.

“Apparent Reasoning”

Getting into all of the ins and outs of artificial intelligence and the debates surrounding it is beyond the scope of this show, but even ardent A.I. supporters admit that “true general intelligence” or the ability for machines to actually reason, isn’t a thing…yet. Read more here.

Power Density

Even assuming these other things were possible, the battery life of M3GAN is beyond the current “power density” of anything out there…for now.

Asimov’s Laws

As Tamara references, courtesy of Asimov’s short story collection, I, Robot…see if you can spot how many of these M3GAN breaks!

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Kids, Technology, Attention Spans…

As Hakeem and Tamara discuss, while technology can be used therapeutically for kids, like anything else, there are potential drawbacks, particularly with attention spans. 

The Fisher-Price bear hack

Even though this happened over a decade ago, it’s still a warning light to heed!

Hakeem’s Favorite Astronaut

OK, yes, Cady Coleman does seem pretty awesome.

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

For other humanoid robot fun with deep and potentially terrifying implications, have you seen our Blade Runner episode? Or might we suggest RoboCop?

The new How to Train Your Dragon is currently in theaters and we took a look at the evolutionary possibilities of dragons right here.

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