Loving the AI: Captivity and Ownership in Unbalanced Dystopian Relationships

Abstract

Out of the abundance of recent science fiction works, there is an inherent connection between the films Blade Runner 2049 (Denis Villeneuve, 2017), Her (Spike Jonze, 2013), and Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2014). They all have female non-human characters in the lead roles, who have to endure spatial restrictions. All three films star lonely men who find their emotional and romantic needs fulfilled in a relationship with these female AI, which they purchased and had programmed especially for them. This aspect of ownership points to an imbalanced power dynamic from the start of the relationship. I will explore why this has become a trend in late capitalist, dystopian, and science fiction genres, drawing parallels to current discussions about the abhorrent treatment many women endure and pointing to the over-sexualization of women in the media as a distributing factor to such treatment. I will utilize a variety of theories including the works of Laura Mulvey, Judith Butler, and Donna Haraway.