Robot Dreams

For decades science fiction writers have amazed us and terrorized us with their portrayal of the world of artificial intelligence - from armies of cyborgs to legions of programmed zombies. Today we are now living in that future age of robots and artificial intelligence and all those dreams of the past are coming true. Mechanical robots will soon be outdated with biologically created humanoids connected to each other across the globe. They will self-repair, gather energy from the sun and live forever. They will be all-knowing and all-powerful like Gods that will walk the Earth. This future world is now inevitable and cannot be stopped. The greatest brains on Earth today have warned us about the consequences of getting this new technology wrong. They have predicted catastrophe. Prepare to meet your future.

What once was just imagination is now real; what was once the distant future is now around the corner. The "Science Fiction" of the past has now simply become "Science". And the science of the future was strangely prophesied by a group of visionaries whose dreams once may have deemed them renegades and "mad scientists," have become reality! In 1950, the term "Robotics" was coined by author Isaac Asimov in his book I.ROBOT — and our collective imagination reeled.

he BBC's Horizon programme began in 1964, and since then has produced films looking at computer technology and the emergence of 'artificial intelligence'. Our dreams always begin with ideology and optimism, only for this optimism to be replaced with suspicion that AI machines will take over. However, as the Horizon archive shows, throughout each decade once we have learnt to live with the new emerging technology of the time, the pattern begins again. We become once more optimistic, before becoming fearful of it.

The BBC's Horizon programme began in 1964, and since then has produced films looking at computer technology and the emergence of 'artificial intelligence'. Our dreams always begin with ideology and optimism, only for this optimism to be replaced with suspicion that AI machines will take over. However, as the Horizon archive shows, throughout each decade once we have learnt to live with the new emerging technology of the time, the pattern begins again. We become once more optimistic, before becoming fearful of it.

Channel 4's late-night, post-pub serving of the world's craziest and most creative short films returns for a fourth series, once more curated and hosted by Zawe Ashton. Featuring brand new talent and experimental work from more established names; the shorts are a heady mixture of music, animation, dance, visual art, spoken word and uncategorisable creative brilliance.