Hollywood’s dance with Artificial Intelligence usually sees AI portrayed as the villain. Think of that machine that must be destroyed before it destroys humanity. The cold, mechanic voice. If the AI itself is not the villain, it is a tool used in the less-than-noble agenda of another. From the very first AI-based movie, 1927’s Metropolis, to the more recent ones, the approach is usually similar.
But, AI characters are not limited to wearing a villain’s face. Unlike the recurrent theme of the killer robot, AI sometimes presents as sentient beings with emotions, morality and even a sense of justice. This article looks into films with AI-based characters like that, who are capable of longing, self-sacrifice, moral growth and even heroism. These characters are protagonists, victims of circumstance or beings whose quest for identity mirrors our own. Let’s go over them.
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Directed by Steven Spielberg from a concept developed by Stanley Kubrick before his 1999 death, “A.I. Artificial Intelligence” follows the story of David, an advanced android child played by Haley Joel Osment. David is adopted by a human family as a substitute for their ill son in a future that has the world reshaped by the melting of polar ice caps. However, the ill son recovers, and the family abandons David, who then goes on a journey to become “real.” All to regain the love of his adoptive human mother, played by Frances O’Connor.
With tonal shifts between Kubrick’s darker vision and Spielberg’s sentimentality and tendency to tell stories from children’s perspectives, the film portrays David as deeply sympathetic. He is not a villain but a child-like figure navigating a world that cannot decide if he’s a marvel or a mistake.
The film grossed $235.9 million worldwide on a $90–100 million budget and holds a 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While it was not fully appreciated at the time of its release, it is now a cult classic seen as one of the best films that came out of the early 2000s. It continues to be seen as one of Spielberg’s more daring works.
The Artifice Girl (2022)
Written and directed by Franklin Ritch, this movie takes a more psychological approach to "humanized" AI. Released directly to video on demand in 2022, the science fiction psychological thriller tells the story of Cherry, an advanced AI initially designed by a team of investigators to catch online predators. However, Cherry’s growing self-awareness soon begins to challenge her creators’ control and complicate their moral certainty. Rather than large-scale robot uprisings, the film delves into the ethics of fast-developing technology and also touches on technological singularity by framing Cherry as an AI girl partner who grows beyond her programming. By the end, Cherry has become a being with her own sense of right and wrong. This poses the question of whether her “duty” to humans outweighs her own right to live free of their control.
With a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is critically acclaimed for its exploration of the thorny moral issues that lie at the interface of humanity and artificial intelligence.
Ex Machina (2014)
In Alex Garland’s “Ex Machina,” AI storytelling is stripped down to three characters in a single location. Caleb, a programmer played by Domhnall Gleeson, is invited to a remote estate to administer a Turing test to Ava, an humanoid AI portrayed by Alicia Vikander. Created by eccentric tech CEO Nathan (played by Oscar Isaac), Ava’s intelligence is deep. And so is her yearning for freedom. That is why when the opportunity arises, she manipulates events to secure her escape, leaving both men behind.
“Ex Machina” dips its toes into the complex interplay between artificial intelligence and human nature. While the film leaves questions on whether Ava’s final actions are cold or entirely justified, it frames her as a being whose desire for autonomy is no different from that of a human in captivity. In siding with herself against her creator’s control, Ava becomes a rare AI figure who seizes her own freedom rather than waiting for human permission.
For his directorial debut, Garland did a quite successful job, as evidenced in the film’s 92% Rotten Tomatoes score and its gross of $37.3 million on a budget of $15M. The film also won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2016.
The Wild Robot (2024)
In a year dominated by big-budget franchises, DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot” became a standout hit for its adaptation of Peter Brown’s bestselling novel into a visually stunning family adventure. Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film tells the story of Roz, a shipwrecked robot who finds herself stranded on an uninhabited island. Initially built for industrial work, this robot must adapt to the untamed environment and earn the trust of the animals on the island.
The animals were afraid of her at first, yes. But Roz would later achieve the near-impossible feat and become part of the community. She would even go on to raise an orphaned gosling and protect the island from threats.
A robot that was built for industrial purposes has now become a caretaker, protector and emotional anchor that helps the film send the message that AI can indeed contribute to making the world a better place.
This film is a huge success both critically and commercially. Made on a budget of $78 million, the film grossed a whopping $334.5 million worldwide ($143.9 million domestically and $190.6 million internationally). It also holds a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, won nine Annie Awards in 2025 (including Best Feature), won Best Animated Feature Film at the Critics’ Choice and received three Academy Award nominations, including Best Animated Feature Film.
The Iron Giant (1999)
Brad Bird’s “The Iron Giant,” produced by Warner Bros., is set in the Cold War era and follows Hogarth Hughes, a young boy who befriends a giant alien robot that crash-landed near his town. Voiced by Vin Diesel, the Giant is gentle and curious but is feared by the military, which sees him as a potential weapon. Hogarth, however, doesn’t buy into the government agents’ distrust, sees the robot’s gentle nature and teaches him the value of life.
Hogarth’s trust in him would later pay off when the Giant chooses to sacrifice himself to save the town, declaring himself “Superman” as he collided with the missile headed the town’s way. This sacrifice makes the Giant one of the most beloved AI heroes, as he rejects the role others try to force upon him and makes a conscious decision to define his own identity. True to his words, he “is not a gun.”
The film was not a success commercially. It cost about $48–50 million to make but earned only $31.7 million at the box office, partly due to a limited marketing push from Warner Bros. Despite its commercial underperformance, it holds a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and won nine Annie Awards. Over time, it has become a beloved classic. This is not surprising, as the film did a really great job of championing themes of humanity, understanding and healing while also showcasing the brutality of the world.
Chappie (2015)
“Chappie” takes the concept of AI innocence into a gritty, street-level setting in Johannesburg, South Africa. Directed by Neill Blomkamp, the movie is about a police AI robot stolen by a group of criminals and reprogrammed to think and feel for itself. Chappie, voiced by Sharlto Copley and effectively a child in a robot’s body, learns about the world through the criminals who take him in. But while creators and caretakers pull him in different moral directions, he develops his own sense of loyalty and justice.
Like “The Iron Giant,” this film’s commercial and critical success tell different stories, but in different ways. While the film earned $102.1 million worldwide against a $49 million budget, its reviews are less than average, holding a 32% Rotten Tomatoes score. The film, though divisive, still fits an AI character whose moral journey is central to the story. The humans, rather than AI, are portrayed as the terrible ones, as they fail Chappie in every way.
Bicentennial Man (1999)
Based on a story by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg, “Bicentennial Man” follows the story of Andrew, a household robot who gradually develops emotions and a desire to become human. Andrew, played by Robin Williams, upgrades his body and mind over two centuries, ultimately seeking to be accepted and legally recognized as a human being. In doing this, he challenges the belief that humanity is only defined by biology.
“Bicentennial Man,” widely considered a flop, received mixed to negative reviews, with a 38% Rotten Tomatoes score. While it was made for $90-100 million, it only managed to gross about $87.4 million worldwide. The problems critics have with the film are centered around it being overly sentimental as well as “dull and mawkish.” Regardless, it does explore interesting relationships and churns out a significant wonder with Andrew's transformation from robot to human, even though he had to give up the things that made him unique to do so. Late Robin’s performance is also one of the highlights of the film.
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