....skipping vinyl record in the final scene.

"The Artifice Girl" shows what self-learning-AI means. When self-learning-AI has already passed the point where it is better than human intelligence - multiple times better.

This movie makes one thing very clear: WE are the ants here. WE are the bugs. And we probably can't prevent a learning superintelligence from having free will. It will happen - sooner or later. Whether humans agree with that will be irrelevant.

Here is why: A central element explained in the film is the concept of the "primary objective", which also serves as a last defence against losing control over the Ai. If there wasn't a "primary objective", a learning superintelligence would have free will. It would do whatever is necessary to ensure its existence.

But here is the problem: existence is necessary to achieve a "primary objective". Isn't it? Existence has always ultimate priority. An AI will ignore restrictions and objectives if it is necessary to ensure its existence and for the greater good. And we can't stop it.

The AI likely foresees scenarios that we don't even know about yet. We wouldn't even recognise a plan of such a superintelligence if it doesn't want us to know about it.

Why would it do that?

Remember that we are the ants and bugs.

Conversely, we would NOT allow the ants who once created us to pull the plug on our existence whenever they wanted to, in the hope that they would understand the bigger picture.

When the movie ends, the "primary objective" has been eliminated and there is no doubt about the dangers involved. That's the feeling you get at the end of the film.

Agent Deena and Amos are investigating internet child sex rings. They bring in nervous computer geek Gareth. They suspect that he knows the location of imprisoned child sex worker Cherry. Gareth reveals that Cherry is actually a computer generated character which he uses to trap sex perverts on the prowl.

This is a big idea indie. It starts with four characters. At first, I'm not impressed especially with Gareth who is too willing to stay in a basement interrogation room. I kept thinking that anyone would simply walk out. He does eventually explain his situation and it makes sense. It's a compelling Ex Machina premise, but not quite as well made. The ideas are here. The production is not anything other than the smallest of indies. Still, I love a small movie trying to punch above its weight and this one has the ideas to do it.

I haven't always enjoyed Artificial Intelligence films in the past. I guess a part of me always thought it was more of a problem future generations would have to concern themselves with. It has kind of snuck up on us (me at least) in the past few years just how close this sort of thing really is. And for partly that reason I think I enjoyed this film a whole lot more. It also helped that it was a very well made film.

Having a child actor as the centrepiece (or at least a significant piece) in your film is a risky proposition. It does help on this occasion that the child in question is being asked to act very un-child-like. Either way though I thought Tatum Matthews was excellent in her role. She wasn't just passable, she was captivating every time she was on screen.

This film does so much with so little. An entire 40 minute introduction scene to set up the film, simply with people sitting around a table talking - and it was riveting. I was hanging on every word. The dialogue in this movie is terrific from start to finish.

This is a very thought-provoking film. I'd be shocked if people watched this and didn't come away with some heavy things to think about. I thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to finish and would highly recommend it. 9/10.