Congist'26: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Crisis

The Digital Panopticon: Surveillance, Autonomy, and Existential Crisis in Ex Machina

Not scheduled

20m

Istanbul University Faculty of Letters

Oral Presentation

Speaker

Houcine Hadaoui (Istanbul Kültür University)

Description

Abstract
Contemporary science fiction cinema often explores cultural anxieties around artificial intelligence and surveillance, portraying crises of autonomy and identity. The challenge lies in deciphering these narratives to determine whether they serve as cautionary tales, allegories of power, or studies of psychological instability. ExMachina (2014) exemplifies this issue, dramatizing how technological manipulation destabilises autonomy and reshapes human perception of reality.

This paper argues that Ex Machina serves as an admonitory tale about the dangers of unrestrained technology, particularly in spreading misinformation, surveillance, and manipulation—anxieties that resonate in contemporary debates over AI, data collection, and digital governance. It explores psychological, social, and ontological crises, situating its analysis within Freud’s The Uncanny and Foucault’s Panopticism. At the centre of the narrative stands Caleb, manipulated by Nathan and Ava, which compels him to question his humanity and undergo an existential crisis. Nathan is also trapped in a false perception of control, leading to his downfall. The paper analyses how digital deception, surveillance,
and manipulation in Ex Machina generate these crises and how they manifest in broader societal issues concerning the sustainability and ethical implications of technological systems. It also examines the semiotics of crisis, exploring the signs and symbols in the film that reflect loss of privacy and decline of trust in technology.

This paper highlights the intersection of crisis, technology, and identity, illustrating the dehumanising effects of surveillance capitalism and misinformation. It suggests that the unchecked power of AI and surveillance threatens both personal autonomy and societal stability, urging a critical examination of the ethical boundaries of technological
advancement.