From the legends of Greek mythology, to modern fiction about a scientist’s monstrous creation or the technological advancements of a distant universe, stories about artificial intelligence have existed for thousands of years. Some are cautionary tales that warn against over reliance on new technologies, while others explore how to incorporate its use into everyday life with balance. But one thing’s for sure, in our rapidly changing world, we’ve all come in contact with different forms of AI at some point. No matter where you land on its use — maybe you’re a fan of the new iOS 18’s Apple Intelligence, or perhaps you prefer the old-fashioned paper to-do list — we’ve got a movie about AI for every mood. 

So, whether you’re looking for a thriller, a coming-of-age story, or an action-packed voyage, check out these six movies about AI for different perspectives on what it means to be sentient in these times. 

Atlas

If you’re in the mood for something action-packed

The story: Jennifer Lopez stars as Atlas Shepherd, a data analyst with a distrust of AI, who works for the government. When her assignment to defeat a robot warrior with whom she shares a dark history goes wrong, her only hope of saving humanity may depend on her ability to trust the very technology that once upended her entire life. Lopez is joined by Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Mark Strong, and many others.  

Lessons we learned: When in doubt, trusting yourself is the best solution. 

Atlas

2h 0m   PG-13   2024

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TAU

If you’re in the mood for dystopian horror

The story: Behind every AI robot is the human who programmed it. In this dystopian thriller, the man behind the sophisticated AI called Tau (voiced by Gary Oldman) is sadistic scientist Alex Upton (Ed Skrein), who kidnaps people to use as human test subjects to further develop his technology. Upton’s latest victim Julia (Maika Monroe) finds herself trapped in his high-tech prison, where she’s forced to complete a series of experiments designed to refine Tau’s capabilities. But she has one thing an AI can’t be taught — and she’ll have to use her street smarts to make her escape. 

Lessons we learned: Technology has its limits, and so should its creators. 

TAU

1h 37m   R   2018

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The Electric State

If you’re in the mood for a coming-of-age story

The story: No matter what timeline you’re living in, there’s an AI story for every era. The Electric State takes place in a retro-futuristic 1990s US, where a war between humans and sentient robots has left society completely fractured. The film follows Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown), an orphaned teen who teams up with a sweet robot named Cosmo (voiced by Alan Tudyk), a smuggler named Keats (Chris Pratt), and his robot companion Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie), in a journey across the country to find her younger brother. The star-studded cast includes Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Jenny Slate, and many others. 

Lessons we learned: The film’s co-director Joe Russo put it simply, telling Tudum, “If there’s any message in the film, it’s to stay connected to the people around you.”

The Electric State

2h 8m   PG-13   2025

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