(German original title: “Telefon – KI ist dran”)
In “Telephone – AI is on the Line” the central theme explores the complex dance between humanity and artificial intelligence by contrasting the differences and potential dangers in interactions between “human and human” and “human and AI.” This narrative journey is portrayed through two distinctive characters: a male voice representing the traditional human use of an analog telephone, and a female voice symbolizing the modern, yet impersonal, mechanical nature of AI-driven communication.
These central characters are supported by two 2-dimensional images: one of a young woman embodying health and organic vitality, and the other of an elderly woman who is in need of help and thus exposed to both the benefits and dangers of AI.
The plot begins with the ringing of a telephone, a device that mechanically connects hearts through voice but now begins to develop an “organic brain.” This leads to a conflict between the understandable, empathetic connections of human interaction and the computer-controlled, algorithmic decisions of a thinking AI. To make the unfamiliar interaction of the human-mimicking AI more comprehensible through already known concepts, the film depicts the unknown interaction via inorganic blood transfusions, thus illustrating the risks and unpredictable outcomes of such an intervention, culminating in a dramatic cardiac arrest as the ultimate risk factor.
However, the resolution brings a twist: the scenario turns out to be hypothetical, a cautious demonstration of what could happen without careful monitoring of AI technologies. The film ends on a note of cautious optimism, suggesting that with vigilant monitoring, the benefits of AI could indeed outweigh its risks.
Emotionally, “Telephone – AI is on the Line” traverses moments of joy and hope, marked by normal heartbeats and soothing music, to feelings of fear and tension, underscored by accelerated heartbeats and unsettling sounds. This emotional arc is designed to deeply engage viewers, making the abstract dangers of AI palpably felt.
Visually, the film adopts a 3D aesthetic to bring its unique telephone and AI-generated images to life, starkly contrasting organic elements, like the heart, with inorganic ones, such as blood transfusion bags. This visual style, combined with a soundscape of analog and digital noises—from phone sounds to heartbeats—creates a rich, immersive experience that invites viewers to reflect on the future of human and AI integration.
