Could AMC’s Humans ever become a reality?

I’m hooked on AMC’s Sunday night drama Humans. It’s got everything that the scheduling slot demands: love, loss, intrigue, tazers—and a habit of making you think.

For those of you who aren’t watching, the series is set in an alternate reality where society has come to rely on “synths”—high-tech humanlike androids that do everything from manning call centers to being live-in home helps. But now a band of super-synths have been secretly created with something dangerous: consciousness. And the authorities (the bad guys) are after them.

Artificial intelligence has long been a favorite topic of science fiction. But Executive Producer Derek Wax says of Humans: “It never felt like science fiction to me, it felt like a story exploring what it means to be human”.

That’s the question which runs through the series: Are the super-synths truly human? And what are the consequences if they are?

Are the super-synths truly human? And what are the consequences if they are? #humans

The implication of the drama is that—while the regular synths fall woefully short of human status—the super-synths are human. And the audience is rooting for them. Humans is fascinating fodder for Christians who seek to be students of modern culture. It gives an insight into popular culture’s view on the doctrine of humanity—what it is that makes us human.

• Feelings. The regular synths bleed blue blood when damaged, but do not feel pain. Nor are they able to express an opinion on a classical music concert. But the super-synths feel love, loyalty, fear and degradation, as well as physical pain. In fact, one super-synth says: “Suffering and pain are required for consciousness. True consciousness isn’t possible without suffering, or pleasure.”

• Communication. The regular synths are limited to pre-programmed responses, and regularly respond to their owners’ unusual requests with: “I’m sorry, I do not understand the question”. But the super-synths are able to communicate on a much deeper level—with their expressions and body language.

• Moral choice. More than anything, it is the ability to make moral choices which distinguishes the super-synths from the regular ones. It’s when a super-synth kills someone the government alarm bells start ringing. So an ability to kill makes them human (and makes great TV). But the super-synths are also capable of noble deeds. During a tense chase scene, one super-synth struggles to keep up (he was on 4% battery—absolute nightmare); so he sacrifices himself so his friend can get away.

• Spirituality. There was even an intriguing moment where one super-synth was seen on his knees praying: “Your existence is unproven and seems extremely unlikely. But if you are there, and if you listen to things like me, please help.” It’s interesting that, in order to prove the super-synth Max to be truly human, the producers chose to portray him with a sense of spirituality.

In a way, the script writers aren’t far off the mark when it comes to the question of what makes us human. But the Bible can add greater clarity. “The Bible’s answer is specific: we are created ‘in God’s own image’. That suggests that we somehow reflect God in profound and essential ways,” writes Mark Meynell in What makes us human?

It’s part of being made in God’s image that means we’re able to feel deeply, to communicate in a complex way. More especially, it explains that ingrained sense in us that some things are right and other things are wrong—and our ability to choose between them. And it’s being made in our Creator’s image which explains that instinct which so many of us have deep down: there is probably someone-or-something out there.

It’s part of being made in God’s image that means we’re able to feel deeply, to communicate in a complex way.

Will Human’s vision of the future become a reality one day? Will it be possible to engineer genuinely conscious artificial intelligence one day? Will robots become so advanced that they are truly human?

Perhaps we’ll come close. But if we believe what the Bible says about what humanity is, then I expect that the Christian’s answer has to be “no”. Surely it is only God who can make creatures in God’s image.

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Image source: AMC/Google Play