‘Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ Impacted Political Policy in This Key Way

Artificial Intelligence has been at the forefront of entertainment and public consciousness for decades. But in recent years, as the undeniably impressive technology has seen staggering growth and development, cinematic depictions of AI have become all the more recognizable and anxiety-inducing for moviegoing audiences, and the formidable foe at the center of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is no exception. In the seventh installment of the long-running franchise, superspy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) squares off against what’s arguably his most dangerous enemy yet: advanced and sinister AI tech referred to as The Entity. While the notion of dangerously sophisticated technology is all fun and games in the movies, Dead Reckoning Part One‘s cyber-based villain is alleged to have caught the attention of U.S. President Joe Biden.

What Is The Entity In ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’?

When a Russian submarine carrying advanced artificial intelligence is mysteriously destroyed, startling evidence emerges regarding groundbreaking technology that has become sentient and gone rogue. Seeking to exploit the power of what they call The Entity, global powers race against one another to gain control over the shape-shifting AI capable of manipulating the digital realm and human behavior to its every whim. Upon sneaking his way into a meeting with intelligence officials, Ethan Hunt discovers that The Entity can be harnessed through a two-part key, one of which is in the possession of ally Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).

Recognizing the worldwide threat The Entity poses, Hunt and his IMF team scramble to get their hands on the key’s other half. Meanwhile, Gabriel (Esai Morales), a mysterious man from Hunt’s past, emerges as The Entity’s human counterpart, thwarting the IMF’s efforts and vowing to gain control of the dangerous new technology. From facial distortion to voice cloning to destructive rogue behavior, the AI proves to be a ruthless piece of technology and Hunt’s most challenging nemesis to date, leading to a globetrotting showdown with dire stakes. While the notion of such sophisticated technology is all fun and games in the movies, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One‘s fictional villain, as it turns out, is alleged to have caught the attention of President Joe Biden.

Joe Biden Signed an Executive Order After Seeing the Mission: Impossible Movie

After U.S. President Joe Biden attended a screening of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One at Camp David, he was reportedly left feeling uneasy about the film’s depiction of artifical intelligence. While AI has been the focus of governmental discussions surrounding safeguards and ethics for quite some time, the seemingly exponential evolution of the technology has accelerated concerns in recent years, a sentiment that Christopher McQuarrie‘s film effectively capitalizes on. But the film may have been a little too effective in highlighting the potential dangers of rogue AI. “If he hadn’t already been concerned about what could go wrong with AI before that movie, he saw plenty more to worry about,” White House deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed said of Joe Biden’s reaction to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.

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Prophetic and cautionary, this film raised real-life concerns about the unintended consequences of evolving computer technology.

A short time after seeing the film, Biden signed an executive order meant to, as the AP reports, “balance the needs of cutting-edge technology companies with national security and consumer rights, creating an early set of guardrails that could be fortified by legislation and global agreements.” While such guardrails are presumably a step in the right direction, time will tell if the growing power of AI can be reined in and responsibly overseen. For now, it appears we’ll have to rely on the Ethan Hunts of the world to stand between us and the potentially nefarious forces of cyberspace.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is available to watch on Prime Video in the U.S.

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