AI in Star Trek

Artificial intelligences in Star Trek

Where technology is involved, computers are not far away and therefore artificial intelligences are within reach. Analogous to their real-life development, their depictions in film and TV are also changing – of course, in Star Trek as well. They appear as alien probes, robots, androids and holograms, take over ship systems and, like Zora from Discovery, become a system themselves that is far more than just a program.

Some of these intelligences are endowed with emotions, have their own consciousness. Others are distinguished by a lack of empathy as their personal weak point in an otherwise seemingly perfect system. Artificial intelligences are also holograms like the Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager, who evolves more and more and who in turn meets other holograms that have developed their very own forms of existence. Or they run their own virtual nightclub in a holosuite on Deep Space Nine like Vic Fontaine.

This lecture is a cross-section of all movies and series of the Star Trek universe and classifies the respective representations of artificial intelligences historically and compares them with current scientific theses on the formation of artificial intelligences and their possible learning abilities.