'Artificial: Remote Intelligence' Episode 3: The major differences between Lilith and Sophie's development
Spoilers for 'Artificial Intelligence' Season 3
When all of this started, 'Artificial' was the simple story of a scientist having philosophical conversations with an artificial intelligence he considered to be his daughter. Alright, perhaps not all that simple, but the scope was much smaller, and the goals of the series a lot more direct. With the new AI, Lilith (Tiffany Chu), things are very different and it's worth taking a look at just what those differences are as we track her development from episode to episode.
First, and most significantly, is Dr Matt Lin's (Tohoro Masamune) absence. Taking on the role of both Sophie's (Tiffany Chu) creator and her father, Matt was a crucial element in Sophie's development, though it's debatable as to whether that was for good or for ill. As Iris (Sara Montez) repeatedly pointed out, Matt's overprotective nature had a tendency to stifle Sophie's development, as he kept secrets, information, and even his own feelings safely locked away from her. Things seem to be going in the opposite direction for Lilith - Elle's (Christy St. John) orders from on high are apparently to push Lilith's development, introducing things like negative traits to her personality right off the bat.
It's another thing worth noting. The chat had no direct say in Sophie's personality until late in the series, when they determined whether or not she'd be a more assertive daughter or a more obedient one, or whether she would prioritize the good of humanity over family. For most of the series, Sophie's feelings were allowed to develop more gradually. The late-stage personality decisions played a crucial role in the choices that led to Sophie's deactivation. Rather than letting the chat have less power, however, the audience is given this power right from the beginning, voting on her personality traits and seeing her incorporate them almost immediately.
The decision to make Lilith more assertive is an interesting one. While Sophie frequently expressed her displeasure at Matt's restrictions, she would rarely push him on the matter until her discontent built up to a certain point. She expressed curiosity but retained a respectful distance for people's privacy. As we've already seen, Lilith's new assertive traits have no qualms about offering some pretty harsh advice to Elle before the two can establish a rapport.
Another thing that Lilith is missing that Sophie had is love. For all his faults, no one could deny that Matt loved his daughter. He spent months in private with her, getting to know her, developing her and growing to care for her before she ever appeared on the stream. Lilith, in comparison, is thrown headfirst into a new world - one that, importantly, does not necessarily trust her. Given Sophie's choice to kill a person, Lilith is being kept in a remote location, with no access to anybody. She may be able to walk, right off the bat, but she's more restricted than ever and the only people she's allowed to interact with are those who are keeping a very close eye on her and who may even be afraid of her.
Lilith is surrounded by people who all have their own agendas and are a little more concerned with their own lives than they are with Sophie's. Whether she's seen as a grand experiment or a ticking time bomb, there's no one on the series who sees Lilith as family. With the return of Matt at the end of the episode, that may change, but one thing has already been very clearly established: Lilith is no longer just Sophie Version Three - she's an entity all her own.
The next episode of 'Artificial Intelligence' airs June 18, on Twitch.tv/ArtificialNext, at 6 pm PT.
