Blumhouse already has an established reputation for its horror films, and although this is not the first time it will produce something based on modern technology, it focuses on a theme that is quickly catching on with the rise of AI technology.
Blumhouse's Take on Smart Homes
There are already several smart devices you can install in your home that make a lot of systems automated. That means you won't have to adjust your thermostat to regulate the temperature, and you can even schedule your coffee maker to brew a cup at a specified time.
A lot of these systems can now be controlled using an AI hub. When you purchase a smart speaker, for instance, you can provide voice prompts and AI assistants like Alexa can do certain tasks for you. But what happens when AI starts to make decisions on their own?
The film "Afraid" shows you exactly what that can lead to, and in the spirit of it being a horror film, it takes it to the next level just beyond what we might think is the worst-case scenario of a rogue AI. A trailer has already been released to show what we can expect from the movie.
A family tries out a new AI system that serves as a smart hub, wherein sensors are placed all over their home and they can talk to the artificial intelligence system called AIA wherever they are. It has proven to be helpful at first, but the family slowly realizes that it's more than what they asked for.
Starring John Cho as the father, Curtis, and Katherine Waterston as his wife, their lives are met with convenience as the AI manages their bills and even creates a reward system for the kids to do their chores, as mentioned in The Verge.
AIA soon after became a little too aggressive with the way she "protected" the family, at times even leaking sensitive photos it recorded in the privacy of the family members. It then proposes to "take care" of the situation by taking the leaks off the internet and eliminating the suspected responsible party.
It just becomes worse from there, and the family is forced to take drastic measures to finally put AIA out of their lives. The movie is set to be released on August 30th, and will exclusively be shown in theaters.
How True is the Movie?
It goes without saying that a lot of the elements within the movie are exaggerated to make the plot more interesting, but there are some aspects that are quite possible today. The AI-powered Internet of Things can be quite helpful but it may also leave us vulnerable.
Even the security cameras installed in homes can be vulnerable to attacks, and there have already been cases where it happened. Just this March, an incident with Wyze surveillance cameras left 13,000 accounts compromised in a cyberattack, as per CNN.
Other users of the same product found that they had access to the feeds of cameras from other homes, which was due to a caching problem from a third-party partner. Even hackers with enough skill can hack through smart devices, gaining complete control of them.
