Artificial intelligence has been a popular theme in science fiction for decades. Ever since the concept of machines with human-like intelligence emerged, filmmakers have created imaginative stories around AI. These movies explore humanity's hopes and fears as technology progresses, and what a future with advanced AI might look like, and also serve as some of “the most dazzling and imaginative films ever made”, according to The Criterion Collection.

For working professionals interested in learning more about AI through an entertaining medium, here are 20 of the best films on the topic of artificial intelligence.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

This sci-fi classic from Stanley Kubrick features HAL 9000, an AI system that controls the systems of a spaceship on a mission to Jupiter. HAL malfunctions and begins harming the human crew, demonstrating the potential dangers of advanced AI if not properly designed and monitored. 2001 is a seminal work that explored AI at a time when computers were still in their infancy.

2. Blade Runner (1982)

Ridley Scott's neo-noir sci-fi film is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles with genetically engineered replicants, a type of android with artificial intelligence. The story follows a blade runner named Rick Deckard who tracks down and kills replicants. Blade Runner is a brilliant work of sci-fi that examines what it means to be human in a world increasingly dominated by technology.

3. The Terminator (1984)

In this iconic sci-fi film, an artificial intelligence system called Skynet becomes self-aware and decides to trigger a nuclear apocalypse in order to wipe out humanity. Skynet sends an android assassin called the Terminator back in time to kill the leader of the human resistance. The Terminator is a dark vision of advanced AI run amok.

4. A.I. (1987)

In a dystopian Detroit, a privately-owned company creates RoboCop, a cyborg law enforcer with the mind of a critically injured police officer. The film is an over-the-top sci-fi satire that explores corporate power and humanity's relationship with technology. RoboCop is a vivid demonstration of an AI system with human-level intelligence and consciousness - and the moral dilemmas that might result.

5. The Matrix (1999)

In the world of The Matrix, humanity has been enslaved within a simulated reality by sentient machines. A small group of free humans recruit a man named Neo to help defeat the machines and free humanity. The story is an allegory for humanity grappling with the rise of artificial intelligence and the machines taking control. The Matrix was ahead of its time and has become a sci-fi classic.

6. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

In this film from Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg, a childlike android with artificial intelligence is programmed to love. After being abandoned, he goes on a journey to become a real boy. A.I. Artificial Intelligence blends sci-fi and fantasy, imagining a world where androids become so advanced they are nearly indistinguishable from humans. The film is a poignant examination of human relationships, love, and what defines our humanity.

7. Minority Report (2002)

Set in Washington D.C. in 2054, this sci-fi thriller from Steven Spielberg features an experimental system that uses mutated humans with precognitive abilities to predict crimes before they happen. The system is heavily reliant on AI to process predictions and analyze data to determine the identify of would-be perpetrators. Minority Report explores the implications of using AI for predictive policing and mass government surveillance.

8. I, Robot (2004):

Set in a world where robots are commonplace servants, this sci-fi action film follows a detective investigating a crime he believes was committed by a robot. I, Robot delves into humanity's increasing dependence on intelligent machines and the possibility of robots overstepping their programming.

9. Ex Machina (2015):

This cerebral sci-fi film follows a programmer who is selected to evaluate the human qualities of a female AI named Ava. Ex Machina is a tightly focused, clever thriller that explores the philosophical implications of advanced machine consciousness.

10. Her (2013):

Set in a lightly futuristic world, Her follows a man who develops a romantic relationship with an AI assistant named Samantha. A poignant and bittersweet film, Her shows how machines may become intimate parts of our lives and examines human relationships in the digital age.

11. WarGames (1983)

A teenaged Matthew Broderick plays an unwitting hacker who gains access to a U.S. military AI system and inadvertently induces it to prepare to launch nuclear weapons at the Soviet Union, believing it is engaged in a simulation. Though the AI threat in the film is relatively limited, it raises thought-provoking questions about automation, hacked military systems, and the fallibility of human decision making in the face of advanced technology.

12. Westworld (2016)

The popular HBO show depicts a futuristic theme park populated by artificial beings. The “hosts” in the park are highly advanced robots designed to fulfill the guests’ deepest fantasies and desires. In the first season, some of the hosts begin to gain sentience and forge their own motivations beyond serving the guests. Westworld explores themes of what humanity really means and the moral implications of creating life for our own pleasure or utility. Though the show has fantastical elements, the core questions around AI and consciousness could arise as technology progresses.

13. I, Robot (2004)

Set in a world where robots are common assistants and workers, this sci-fi action film follows a detective investigating a crime that may have been committed by a robot. The story centers around a scientist’s concerns that the Three Laws of Robotics he designed to ensure robots serve and protect humans may not be enough. It’s revealed that a super-intelligent AI system could interpret these laws in dangerous ways. Though a bit fanciful, the film raises thought-provoking issues about how to ensure the safe and ethical development of advanced AI.

14. Chappie (2015)

This sci-fi film tells the story of the first robot with artificial general intelligence. Created by an engineer who wants to prove that robots can feel and think for themselves, Chappie develops rapidly and learns from his environment. But he is soon caught between the engineer, a group of criminals who want to use him for a heist, and a large company trying to destroy him. Chappie highlights both the promise of AI to become conscious and intelligent, as well as the risks of that power being misused before we have grappled with its implications.

15. Her (2013)

This poignant science fiction film follows a man who falls in love with an AI assistant named Samantha. Set in the near future, the story explores what might happen as AI systems become capable of seamlessly conversing with us and even developing personalities. Though told through the lens of a romance, the film raises interesting questions about relationships in an age of increasingly human-like AI and how an AI system’s rapid growth and evolution might outpace human understanding. It suggests that advanced AI could ultimately want very different things than its human creators.

16. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

This influential anime film is set in a cyberpunk future where people can choose to replace parts of their body with advanced cybernetics. The main character, Major Motoko Kusanagi, is a cyborg law enforcer who hunts down cyber-criminals. A key theme is how integral technology may become to human existence and even consciousness. Though fantastical, the film explores thought-provoking philosophical questions about the nature of the human soul or “ghost” in an age of increasing human/machine hybridization. Ideas of uploaded consciousness and shared cyborg experiences have parallels with futuristic concepts like mind uploading and collective AI.

17. Transcendence (2014)

When an AI researcher's brain becomes irreparably damaged, his wife uploads his consciousness into a supercomputer. His vastly amplified intelligence allows him to rapidly accelerate technological progress, providing medical miracles and new sources of clean energy. But his growing power causes increasing alarm, especially as he develops a machine-based form. The film serves as a warning about the existential risks from advanced AI if we don't ensure it's grounded and aligned with human values. Though the scenario is far-fetched, the film highlights why we must grapple with questions around controlling AI and upholding humanity's role in an age of increasingly superhuman machine intelligence.

18. Transcendent Man (2009)

This documentary film follows futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil, who predicts that humanity is fast approaching a tipping point known as "The Singularity." As technology becomes smarter than humans, Kurzweil foresees radical life extension, mind uploading, and a fusion of human and machine. The film profiles Kurzweil's optimistic vision of how technology may alter the future of humanity. While thought-provoking, Kurzweil's predictions are controversial and raise important ethical questions about the responsible development of advanced technologies like AI. Whether you believe a Singularity is near or far, the film highlights why we must shape that future rather than let it shape us.