Filmmakers Sean Blacknell and Wayne Walsh offer a head-spinning peek into the near and distant future in this equally thrilling and terrifying documentary exploring the intertwined destinies of technology and humankind. The film begins by underscoring anxiety that jobs will continue to vanish for working people who are being replaced by machines—leaving hundreds of millions unemployed around the globe. Beyond that, robots will likely supplant surgeons, driverless cars will become the norm on streets and highways, and customer service representatives will be computer-generated avatars with friendly faces and the ability to tackle more complex tasks. Current information and futuristic conjecture dominate the first half of the film, while the second half's focus on “death” is more abstract. What will become of human beings in a rapidly-shifting, unrecognizable culture—25 or 50 years from now—as foundational research in artificial intelligence makes it possible to upload individual consciousness into data-storing clouds, and thereby achieve digital immortality? What will happen if advancements in medicine make life-spans of 1,000 years common? Unquestionably, these paradigmatic shifts will result in philosophical and religious changes to our perceptions of existence. A deeply thought-provoking look at the potentially far-reaching impact of future technology on humanity, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (T. Keogh)
The Future of Work and Death
(2016) 89 min. DVD: $24.95. First Run Features (avail. from most distributors). Volume 32, Issue 5
The Future of Work and Death
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