2001 is an effective way to begin this conversation, because it revolves around the human obsession with technology. The arrival of the enigmatic monolith (technology) breaks mankind’s lack of progress. Mankind, peering indifferently into cavern walls in an endless cycle of boredom, had been awakened.

Hitting someone upside the head with a fractured forearm is not a complex process, but Kubrick would tell you that understanding the process was clearly a monumental obstacle.

Absurdly simple, yet absurdly difficult. I have just described man’s experiences with technology in one sentence which uses the same word two times. That means it cancels out, like Algebra or something.

When we think of technology today, we usually think of the technology associated with microprocessors, or computers, for the non-nerd. The punch card system is often used as an indicator of the beginning of a new age of information. Truly, a link to primitive mankind. Swing the club, (input) kill a man (output). Punch the card (input), the computer spells out naughty words in 8 languages (output). Both tasks are annoying, menial, labor-intensive.

The positive feedback loop, however, has begun its perpetual cycle.

Fascinatingly, technology is always impossible. Primitive man never thought about HAL 9000. George Washington probably never thought about HAL 9000. The Memex? Computers in homes? Are you out of your mind?

We’ll never get beyond 2 megs of RAM. This is the best it’s going to get. We’ll never have visual interfaces by which we can interact. This is the best it’s going to get. Computers cannot think for themselves, this is the best it’s ever going to get. But the cycle grows, and grows, and grows.

Hook up a game system. Ignore, for a second, that game controllers have gone from having 4 to an average of 10 buttons. The AI is not static. Shoot him, he moves. He might even go around you to try and edge you. Drive past her, she might ram you next time. Send out Articuno, they’ll hit you with Moltres.

Has the AI learned? Even HAL, the veritable God of human design, is unaware. The crew are unaware. Does HAL have true emotions? “It’s not something anyone can really answer.” HAL attributes his error to humanity, not to himself. I realize, however, that this is ironically human.

Where is the Monolith of AI? Sentience seems inexorably within our grasp, yet unattainable. Some may argue that true sentience is impossible, that true learning is possible only in human minds.

I think, though, that these are the same people who said that the visual interface would never make it. Asmiov knew it. Kubrick knew it.

Anything imagined can be created, and we are standing dangerously close to falling beyond the infinite.