Episode Description
Can an artificial intelligence learn the value of human life?
In this episode of Computer Séance, Tracie, Ben and Justin revisit the 1983 Cold War classic WarGames, a film that imagined many of today's biggest AI questions decades before ChatGPT.
Your hosts explore the film through the lenses of artificial intelligence, hacking, nuclear deterrence, automation, game theory, and Cold War politics. We discuss how WarGames predicted debates about AI safety, autonomous weapons, machine decision-making, and the risks of trusting intelligent systems with human lives.
Show Notes:
About Wargames (1983)
Director: John Badham
Writers: Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes
Production: United Artists & Sherwood Productions
References:
Watch Wargames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bymdsSvLfJY
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQUsLAAZuhU&pp=ygURd2FyZ2FtZWVzIHRyYWlsZXI%3D
WIKI- https://tinyurl.com/4w5hm528I
MDB- https://tinyurl.com/4hf2mty9
Rotten Tomatoes - https://tinyurl.com/yfmzr72c
AI and weapon systems: https://aiwar.cloud/
Human in the loop: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human-in-the-loop
Cory Doctorow:
a) https://pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/pop-that-bubble/
b) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jun/22/the-reverse-centaurs-guide-to-life-after-ai-by-cory-doctorow-review-the-real-price-of-artificial-intelligence
Sam Altman: https://cybernews.com/ai-news/altman-ai-energy/
NORAD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NORAD
Hackers (1995) film: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackers_(film)
Speech act theory:
a) https://www.britannica.com/topic/speech-act-theory
b) https://archive.org/details/austin-how-to-do-things-with-words
Robots in the war in Ukraine: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/04/fighting-robots-give-ukraine-hope-in-war-with-russia
Loitering munitions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loitering_munition“
Shortening the kill chain”: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/03/iran-war-heralds-era-of-ai-powered-bombing-quicker-than-speed-of-thought
Isreali “Gospel” AI targeting: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/01/the-gospel-how-israel-uses-ai-to-select-bombing-targets and https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/israel-defense-forces-use-ai-gaza-case-misplaced-purpose
Game theory: https://www.britannica.com/science/game-theory
Theatre of the oppressed:
a) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_the_Oppressed
b) https://www.plutobooks.com/product/theatre-of-the-oppressed/
Hyperreality: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/hyperreality
Reliance on Automated Systems: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3579605 Vasconcelos, H., Jörke, M., Grunde-McLaughlin, M., Gerstenberg, T., Bernstein, M. S., & Krishna, R. (2023). Explanations can reduce overreliance on ai systems during decision-making. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 7(CSCW1), 1-38.Cognitive Impacts of LLMs: https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt/ and https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10225785/3/Keane_Liu_v2_edit_1776961977_1_KY_clean.pdf
Follow us: https://linktr.ee/computerseance
What can popular culture teach us about the technologies that are reshaping our lives?
Each week in Computer Séance presenters Justin, Tracie and Ben dissect a pop culture artefact that features an intelligent machine and explores how it compares with developments in AI today.
More About Your Hosts!
Dr R Justin Hunt is an artist and academic based in London; his work explores archives of queerness
Dr Tracie Farrell a Senior Research Fellow at the Open University, and a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow examining the intersections between social justice and artificial intelligence.
Dr Ben Sweeting is a university lecturer who teaches and learns about design.
It is produced by Cat McShane. Sound mixing by Dan Bolger and original music by Rosa Brook. Graphic Design by Retno Larasati.
Computer Séance is funded by a UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship grant.
All the opinions expressed in the program are the presenters' own and do not reflect the positions of our employers, or UKRI.
Episodes may contain language that some listeners find offensive
In this episode of Computer Séance, Tracie, Ben and Justin revisit the 1983 Cold War classic WarGames, a film that imagined many of today's biggest AI questions decades before ChatGPT.
Your hosts explore the film through the lenses of artificial intelligence, hacking, nuclear deterrence, automation, game theory, and Cold War politics. We discuss how WarGames predicted debates about AI safety, autonomous weapons, machine decision-making, and the risks of trusting intelligent systems with human lives.
Show Notes:
About Wargames (1983)
Director: John Badham
Writers: Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes
Production: United Artists & Sherwood Productions
References:
Watch Wargames: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bymdsSvLfJY
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQUsLAAZuhU&pp=ygURd2FyZ2FtZWVzIHRyYWlsZXI%3D
WIKI- https://tinyurl.com/4w5hm528I
MDB- https://tinyurl.com/4hf2mty9
Rotten Tomatoes - https://tinyurl.com/yfmzr72c
AI and weapon systems: https://aiwar.cloud/
Human in the loop: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human-in-the-loop
Cory Doctorow:
a) https://pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/pop-that-bubble/
b) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jun/22/the-reverse-centaurs-guide-to-life-after-ai-by-cory-doctorow-review-the-real-price-of-artificial-intelligence
Sam Altman: https://cybernews.com/ai-news/altman-ai-energy/
NORAD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NORAD
Hackers (1995) film: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackers_(film)
Speech act theory:
a) https://www.britannica.com/topic/speech-act-theory
b) https://archive.org/details/austin-how-to-do-things-with-words
Robots in the war in Ukraine: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/04/fighting-robots-give-ukraine-hope-in-war-with-russia
Loitering munitions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loitering_munition“
Shortening the kill chain”: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/mar/03/iran-war-heralds-era-of-ai-powered-bombing-quicker-than-speed-of-thought
Isreali “Gospel” AI targeting: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/01/the-gospel-how-israel-uses-ai-to-select-bombing-targets and https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/israel-defense-forces-use-ai-gaza-case-misplaced-purpose
Game theory: https://www.britannica.com/science/game-theory
Theatre of the oppressed:
a) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theatre_of_the_Oppressed
b) https://www.plutobooks.com/product/theatre-of-the-oppressed/
Hyperreality: https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/hyperreality
Reliance on Automated Systems: https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3579605 Vasconcelos, H., Jörke, M., Grunde-McLaughlin, M., Gerstenberg, T., Bernstein, M. S., & Krishna, R. (2023). Explanations can reduce overreliance on ai systems during decision-making. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 7(CSCW1), 1-38.Cognitive Impacts of LLMs: https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/your-brain-on-chatgpt/ and https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10225785/3/Keane_Liu_v2_edit_1776961977_1_KY_clean.pdf
Follow us: https://linktr.ee/computerseance
What can popular culture teach us about the technologies that are reshaping our lives?
Each week in Computer Séance presenters Justin, Tracie and Ben dissect a pop culture artefact that features an intelligent machine and explores how it compares with developments in AI today.
More About Your Hosts!
Dr R Justin Hunt is an artist and academic based in London; his work explores archives of queerness
Dr Tracie Farrell a Senior Research Fellow at the Open University, and a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow examining the intersections between social justice and artificial intelligence.
Dr Ben Sweeting is a university lecturer who teaches and learns about design.
It is produced by Cat McShane. Sound mixing by Dan Bolger and original music by Rosa Brook. Graphic Design by Retno Larasati.
Computer Séance is funded by a UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship grant.
All the opinions expressed in the program are the presenters' own and do not reflect the positions of our employers, or UKRI.
Episodes may contain language that some listeners find offensive