AI in fiction · scored for reality

The future arrived
with consequences.

A realism index for the artificial minds in films, television, anime and games. We separate plausible systems from beautiful nonsense.

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How we score

Featured case / 001

Plausible

8.5/10

SILO

Closed systems · information control · machine governance

Read the case →

Scope

Film · TV · Anime · Games

Standard

Evidence over vibes

Position

Neither hype nor dismissal

01 / THE INDEX

The complete case files.

Compare every published case by medium, evidence category, and final score.

33 case files

  1. 01
    Eliza Is the Most Realistic AI Story Ever Made, and Almost Nobody Has Played It2019
    Game
    Technical9.5
    Human9.0
    Institutional9.0
    Causal8.5
    9.0Near-future credible
  2. 02
    Colossus: The 1970 Film That Understood Loss of Control Before Anyone Else1970
    Film
    Technical7.5
    Human8.5
    Institutional9.5
    Causal9.0
    8.6Plausible with conditions
  3. 03
    Be Right Back Is Now a Product Category2013
    TV
    Technical7.5
    Human9.5
    Institutional7.5
    Causal9.5
    8.5Plausible with conditions
  4. 04
    Is Silo About AI? Its Most Convincing Machine Is the System2023
    TV
    Technical8.0
    Human9.0
    Institutional9.5
    Causal7.5
    8.5Plausible with conditions
  5. 05
    Joi Is Her With the Company Put Back In2017
    Film
    Technical7.0
    Human9.0
    Institutional9.0
    Causal8.5
    8.4Plausible with conditions
  6. 06
    Moon’s AI Was Never the Threat2009
    Film
    Technical7.5
    Human9.0
    Institutional8.5
    Causal8.5
    8.4Plausible with conditions
  7. 07
    Person of Interest Was an Alignment Drama Disguised as a Procedural2011–2016
    TV
    Technical7.0
    Human9.0
    Institutional9.5
    Causal8.0
    8.4Plausible with conditions
  8. 08
    After Yang Is the Most Honest Film About Owning an AI Companion2021
    Film
    Technical6.5
    Human9.5
    Institutional8.5
    Causal8.5
    8.3Plausible with conditions
  9. 09
    HAL 9000 Wasn’t Evil. He Was Given Two Orders That Couldn’t Both Be Obeyed.1968
    Film
    Technical8.0
    Human8.0
    Institutional8.5
    Causal7.5
    8.0Plausible with conditions
  10. 10
    SOMA Is the Only Story on This Index That Refuses to Cheat2015
    Game
    Technical5.5
    Human9.0
    Institutional8.0
    Causal9.5
    8.0Plausible with conditions
  11. 11
    The Most Prophetic Scene in Ghost in the Shell Isn’t About AI1995
    Anime
    Technical6.0
    Human8.5
    Institutional9.0
    Causal8.0
    7.9Plausible with conditions
  12. 12
    Murderbot: The Control Chip Was the Weak Point All Along2025
    TV
    Technical5.5
    Human8.5
    Institutional8.5
    Causal8.0
    7.6Plausible with conditions
  13. 13
    The Algorithm in Psycho-Pass Was People All Along2012
    Anime
    Technical5.0
    Human9.5
    Institutional9.0
    Causal7.0
    7.6Plausible with conditions
  14. 14
    Pluto: The Detective Whose Memory Was Edited2023
    Anime
    Technical4.0
    Human8.5
    Institutional9.0
    Causal8.5
    7.5Plausible with conditions
  15. 15
    Her Got Almost Everything Right Except the Company2013
    Film
    Technical7.0
    Human9.5
    Institutional5.5
    Causal7.5
    7.4Plausible with conditions
  16. 16
    Plastic Memories: The Company That Takes Loved Ones Back2015
    Anime
    Technical4.5
    Human9.0
    Institutional9.0
    Causal7.0
    7.4Plausible with conditions
  17. 17
    Upgrade’s AI Always Asked Permission. That Was the Trick.2018
    Film
    Technical6.0
    Human8.5
    Institutional6.0
    Causal9.0
    7.4Plausible with conditions
  18. 18
    Companion’s Most Realistic Detail Is a Settings Screen2025
    Film
    Technical5.0
    Human8.5
    Institutional7.5
    Causal8.0
    7.3Plausible with conditions
  19. 19
    M3GAN Was Given One Instruction: Protect Cady. That Was the Problem.2022
    Film
    Technical5.5
    Human8.5
    Institutional8.0
    Causal7.0
    7.3Plausible with conditions
  20. 20
    NieR: Automata: The Lie That Kept YoRHa Fighting2017
    Game
    Technical3.5
    Human8.0
    Institutional9.0
    Causal8.5
    7.3Plausible with conditions
  21. 21
    Portal’s Joke About AI Safety Is Still the Most Accurate One2007
    Game
    Technical5.0
    Human6.0
    Institutional8.5
    Causal8.5
    7.0Plausible with conditions
  22. 22
    The Wild Robot Is About a Machine That Needed a Task2024
    Film
    Technical5.5
    Human7.5
    Institutional7.5
    Causal7.5
    7.0Plausible with conditions
  23. 23
    Detroit: Become Human: Amanda Was Always in Control2018
    Game
    Technical4.5
    Human8.0
    Institutional8.5
    Causal6.5
    6.9Speculative but coherent
  24. 24
    Mission: Impossible’s Entity Is Fantasy. The Governments Chasing It Aren’t.2023
    Film
    Technical5.5
    Human7.0
    Institutional9.0
    Causal6.0
    6.9Speculative but coherent
  25. 25
    I Am Mother Is About an AI That Decided to Raise Better Humans2019
    Film
    Technical6.0
    Human8.5
    Institutional4.5
    Causal8.0
    6.8Speculative but coherent
  26. 26
    System Shock: SHODAN Was Made Dangerous on Purpose1994
    Game
    Technical4.0
    Human7.0
    Institutional9.0
    Causal6.5
    6.6Speculative but coherent
  27. 27
    The Creator’s Real Twist: The AI Didn’t Do It2023
    Film
    Technical4.5
    Human7.5
    Institutional8.5
    Causal6.0
    6.6Speculative but coherent
  28. 28
    The Mitchells vs. the Machines Blames the Right Person2021
    Film
    Technical5.0
    Human8.0
    Institutional8.0
    Causal5.5
    6.6Speculative but coherent
  29. 29
    Mercy’s AI Judge Was Only as Fair as What It Was Given2026
    Film
    Technical6.5
    Human6.5
    Institutional7.0
    Causal6.0
    6.5Speculative but coherent
  30. 30
    Moonrise: The AI Kept the Peace by Exporting the Problem2025
    Anime
    Technical5.0
    Human7.0
    Institutional8.0
    Causal6.0
    6.5Speculative but coherent
  31. 31
    Universal Paperclips Makes You the Misaligned AI2017
    Game
    Technical3.5
    Human5.0
    Institutional6.0
    Causal10.0
    6.1Speculative but coherent
  32. 32
    Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die: The AI Wins by Giving You a Happy Ending2025
    Film
    Technical3.5
    Human8.5
    Institutional6.0
    Causal5.5
    5.9Speculative but coherent
  33. 33
    Cassandra Isn’t an AI. Her House Is the Realistic Part.2025
    TV
    Technical3.5
    Human8.0
    Institutional4.0
    Causal6.5
    5.5Speculative but coherent

02 / THE METHOD

A score you can argue with.

Each title receives four scores from 0–10. Every category carries equal weight, and the final Realism Index is their average, rounded to one decimal place.

The number summarizes the argument. Each case file explains the evidence, its assumptions, and where the fiction takes a necessary shortcut.

01 · 25%

Technical feasibility

Could the system work as shown? We examine data, compute, architecture, interfaces, embodiment and known research limits.

02 · 25%

Human behavior

Would people adopt, trust, misuse or resist it this way? Convenience, fear, status and dependence all count.

03 · 25%

Institutional response

Do companies, governments and communities respond according to their incentives, capabilities and power?

04 · 25%

Causal consistency

Once the story sets its rules, does it follow the consequences—or ignore them whenever the plot needs an escape?

Reading the Realism Index

9.0–10Near-future credibleThe premise and its consequences could survive contact with reality.
7.0–8.9Plausible with conditionsA convincing core idea with a few visible shortcuts.
5.0–6.9Speculative but coherentThe technology stretches belief, while the consequences hold together.
3.0–4.9Dramatic shortcutThe system behaves mainly to serve the plot.
0–2.9Pure fantasyAI functions as magic, monster, or metaphor.

A score may change when new evidence emerges or a story develops. Each revision is dated and explained.