20th December 2013

'Transcendence' teaser trailer

A teaser has been released for an upcoming movie about the technological singularity – a hypothetical point when AI begins to vastly exceed human intelligence. Due for release on 17th April 2014, 'Transcendence' will star Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy. It marks the directorial debut of Wally Pfister, with Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas as executive producers.

The movie synopsis is as follows:

Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him.

However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed—to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany), both fellow researchers, the question is not if they can…but if they should.

Their worst fears are realized as Will's thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

The teaser below has a Matrix-like feel to it. However, although the Matrix dealt with AI, virtual reality and other futuristic technology, no major movie has focussed specifically on the phrase "technological singularity" – until now. Transcendence could therefore be a pivotal moment in terms of introducing the concept to a mainstream audience and bringing greater public awareness of exponential trends. For more information, visit the official website.

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