What’s the name of the supercomputer in 2001: A Space Odyssey?
It’s been nearly six decades since the sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey, from the minds of Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, hit theaters and obliterated everyone’s notion of what science fiction could be like.
In 1968, almost 10 years before even Star Wars came out, 2001 made every visual effect that came before look like a child had made it, and frankly made space seem really scary. Beyond the effects, there’s really nothing about this movie that hasn’t become iconic in the annals of film, from the plot to the score to the cinematography.
Among the movie’s most brilliant features is its depiction of artificial intelligence. There’s a reason this line still makes us shudder: "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that."
What’s the name of the supercomputer that uttered that infamous line?
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Correct Answer: HAL
The answer is: HAL. HAL 9000, better known as HAL, is one of the main reasons everyone gets so freaked out whenever a new AI chatbot comes out. HAL is a sentient supercomputer with a humanlike personality, which might be why he goes nuts and tries to kill everyone instead of just helping the astronauts get to Jupiter to meet a giant space baby.Source
Now that you know his name, do you know what it stands for?
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