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| How close were the Terminator films to the reality of 2011? | How close were the Terminator films to the reality of 2011? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| By Adam Smith BBC News | By Adam Smith BBC News |
| 21 April 2011 has been prophesied in the Terminator movies as Judgement Day, when the machines rise up and bring about the end of human society as we know it. | |
| Artificial intelligence clearly has not developed in quite the way James Cameron's science-fiction franchise predicted, but how close are we to the technologies he depicted? | Artificial intelligence clearly has not developed in quite the way James Cameron's science-fiction franchise predicted, but how close are we to the technologies he depicted? |
| Central to the Terminator series is the idea of Skynet, the United States's "Global Digital Defense Network", which develops self-awareness and begins a nuclear war. | Central to the Terminator series is the idea of Skynet, the United States's "Global Digital Defense Network", which develops self-awareness and begins a nuclear war. |
| Western military forces have long relied on networks to distribute information, such as the US Department of Defense's system for sharing top-secret information - the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System. | Western military forces have long relied on networks to distribute information, such as the US Department of Defense's system for sharing top-secret information - the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System. |
| Yet despite the vast amounts of confidential data stored on such networks, the greatest military disaster to have occurred to date is probably Wikileaks's release of diplomatic cables. | Yet despite the vast amounts of confidential data stored on such networks, the greatest military disaster to have occurred to date is probably Wikileaks's release of diplomatic cables. |
| Drones | Drones |
| More worrying to would-be members of "the resistance" is the rise of augmented systems and unmanned military technology. | More worrying to would-be members of "the resistance" is the rise of augmented systems and unmanned military technology. |
| The Guardian reported last week that a Ministry of Defence study had warned this technology could be the start of an "incremental and involuntary journey towards a Terminator-like reality". | The Guardian reported last week that a Ministry of Defence study had warned this technology could be the start of an "incremental and involuntary journey towards a Terminator-like reality". |
| Chris Cole, a campaigner who runs the Drone Wars UK website, said: "It's a fictional scenario... which we are some distance away from, but it's becoming easier to imagine because of the push towards speed. | Chris Cole, a campaigner who runs the Drone Wars UK website, said: "It's a fictional scenario... which we are some distance away from, but it's becoming easier to imagine because of the push towards speed. |
| "Military decision makers are saying we are too slow to react and we need to start handing over more decision making to machines. | "Military decision makers are saying we are too slow to react and we need to start handing over more decision making to machines. |
| "We should not go down this route, just like chemical weapons and biological weapons are regarded as being beyond the pale, we should be saying this about automated systems." | "We should not go down this route, just like chemical weapons and biological weapons are regarded as being beyond the pale, we should be saying this about automated systems." |
| Of course for fans of the Terminator series, the real point of contention is the date Skynet will implement its attack against humanity. | Of course for fans of the Terminator series, the real point of contention is the date Skynet will implement its attack against humanity. |
| In the original Terminator film Kyle Reese, played by Michael Biehn, is sent back in time from a post-apocalyptic future and tells how Skynet was installed on 4 August 1997 and gained its deadly self-awareness on 29 August. | In the original Terminator film Kyle Reese, played by Michael Biehn, is sent back in time from a post-apocalyptic future and tells how Skynet was installed on 4 August 1997 and gained its deadly self-awareness on 29 August. |
| This future was, however, altered in the second Terminator film, where the heroes succeed in destroying the research that led to the creation of Skynet. | This future was, however, altered in the second Terminator film, where the heroes succeed in destroying the research that led to the creation of Skynet. |
| But, as is conveniently revealed in the subsequent sequels, the apocalyptic future was not prevented but merely postponed. | But, as is conveniently revealed in the subsequent sequels, the apocalyptic future was not prevented but merely postponed. |
| Alternative futures | Alternative futures |
| In the timeline shown in the TV show Sarah Connor Chronicles, we see a young Kyle watch as Skynet finally succeeds in launching missiles on 21 April 2011. | In the timeline shown in the TV show Sarah Connor Chronicles, we see a young Kyle watch as Skynet finally succeeds in launching missiles on 21 April 2011. |
| The film's director, James Cameron, told the TMZ website: "Kyle Reese said in the first film that it was only one possible future - clearly, not the one we're in. | The film's director, James Cameron, told the TMZ website: "Kyle Reese said in the first film that it was only one possible future - clearly, not the one we're in. |
| "Maybe Kyle, Sarah, John and the T-800 changed things enough to steer us away from that possible future." | "Maybe Kyle, Sarah, John and the T-800 changed things enough to steer us away from that possible future." |
| He added: "Now instead of nuclear war we need to worry about global climate change. | He added: "Now instead of nuclear war we need to worry about global climate change. |
| "And the machines taking over? With everybody going through their lives bent over their Blackberrys all day long, you could even argue the machines have already won." |