‘Klara and the Sun’ explores themes of AI, social evolution, teenage experience, love
Based on the 2021 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, “Klara and the Sun” follows Klara, an AI android designed to be a companion for awkward teenage humans who need a friend.
The film adaptation was released in theaters on Oct. 23, and has received mixed reviews so far. Starring Jenna Ortega as the film’s protagonist, the story is set in the future, in a world where the internet no longer exists, World War III has come and gone, and AI has taken on a new form. Today, AI exists within computer applications such as ChatGPT and Claude, but in this cinematic universe, AI is sentient. Humans and androids live side by side; but it’s far from perfect. Plenty of humans are still skeptical about artificial intelligence, and plenty of the AI androids see themselves as superior to the human race.
The story begins in a sort of store where humans can come in and purchase androids. The robots at this store are designed with one specific purpose: friendship. The AI robots in this store are meant to act as companions for their human owner, particularly a teenager going through their “awkward years.”
The opening scene of this film depicts Klara staring through a window on one leg, sort of perched like a flamingo, talking to the sun in the sky. This acts as a motif throughout the film; Klara believes that the sun is a godly being that brings good prosperity to those who ask for it. It makes sense, because in this universe, the AIs are solar powered, but none of the other models worship or pray to the sun like Klara does. None of them like to stand up on one leg, either. Klara gets bullied by the other androids in the shop because of this, but she insists that her uniqueness just makes her a better fit for her awkward, nerdy audience.
Eventually, Klara gets bought by a young girl named Josie. Josie is an “elevated” child – a child who had their brain genetically rewired in order to make them significantly more intelligent. However, during this procedure, something went wrong, and now Josie is terminally ill. Klara tries her best to understand Josie’s condition, and be a good friend to her along the way. She mimics Josie’s sense of humor, goes on fun adventures with her, and assimilates herself within Josie’s family and friend group.
The movie did a great job at visually illustrating Klara’s mental processes. She acted just like AI does in real life; she watched your behavior, compared it to her own past experiences, and then replicated it to the best of her ability. A lot of the behaviors she replicated would be scarily accurate, such as copying other characters’ voices and mannerisms.
In an age where AI is an incredibly controversial subject, this film did a great job creating a middle ground that all viewers can be happy with. It wasn’t vehemently for or against AI. In fact, it managed to address a lot of pros and cons alike. ‘Klara and the Sun’ painted a hauntingly accurate picture of what the future of our country might look like, and while it largely seems pretty bleak, this film reminded us that some things can never be replaced by AI. It’s more important now than ever to create lasting friendships with other human beings, because those are more meaningful than any technological advancement could ever be.
