The Fear of Technology in Horror Movies: A Comparative Film Analysis Through the Lens of Sociotechnical Imaginaries

Science, Technology, and Society (STS) studies examine the social and cultural factors that shape public perceptions of technology. This study problematizes technology representation in horror movies by considering the sociotechnical imaginaries literature and explores the sociocultural effects of technological opacity and the existential fear of losing control. The qualitative research explores the fear of technology in horror movies, comparatively analyzing the discourses of AI technology in three films purposefully selected in terms of their popularity in the last five years: Upgrade (2018), Child's Play (2019), and M3gan (2022). The study concentrates on these movies because, in the past five years, the fear of artificial intelligence has been further fueled by speculative technology development information circulation, including Elon Musk's neurotechnology company Neuralink's goal to develop implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). Merging human consciousness with AI technologies has generated fears of loss of privacy and potential control over one's own thoughts and actions. The fear of AI has also been heightened by the emergence of humanoid robots, notably Sophia, developed by Hanson Robotics. Sophia's human-like appearance and advanced AI capabilities have generated both fascination and fear. This study encourages critical thought on the effects of technical opacity that influence our interactions with developing technology by investigating the depiction of technology in these movies. Findings would help us grasp the complex relationship between technology and fear. In order to create informed dialogues about the moral, social, and cultural effects of technological breakthroughs, it asks for increased transparency and critical engagement with technical processes.