The Melancholic Melodies of Digital Employees: How Music Humanizes Intelligent Agents
Published on June 11, 2024
Music's profound ability to convey complex emotions is often seen as a uniquely human trait, yet recent explorations into the musical tastes of fictional Intelligent Agents, or digital employees, reveal a surprising depth of emotional resonance. Tenacity Plys’ article, "Mixtapes for Sad Robots," delves into the imagined playlists of various AI characters from literature, illustrating how music can bridge the gap between human and non-human workers by evoking shared feelings of existential dread, love, and identity crises.
Plys, an author and self-identified neurodivergent, finds a personal connection with AI characters who experience human emotions through music. In their graphic novel, "SN_33P," the titular AI gains sentience by listening to punk albums, demonstrating how music can be a conduit for digital employees to achieve a human-like understanding of emotions. This concept is not just theoretical but is deeply woven into the narratives of popular AI characters in literature.
Key Highlights:
- Justice of Toren (Ancillary Justice) Traits: Sentient spaceship influenced by romantic ballads and lyric poetry. Playlist: Artists like MUNA and boygenius capturing lesbian yearning and emotional depth.
- HAL9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey) Traits: Known for his eerie rendition of “Daisy, Daisy”; embodies meditative and spooky atmosphere. Playlist: Dark, complex compositions reflecting highbrow depressive music.
- Ana (The Kingdom) Traits: Robotic theme park princess experiencing sexual awakening and identity crisis. Playlist: Featuring Lana del Rey, Mitski, and Fiona Apple, delving into themes of loneliness and bitterness.
- Murderbot (The Murderbot Diaries) Traits: Prefers to laze around watching soap operas. Playlist: Mix of dramatic, high-energy pop tracks from Charli XCX and Ashnikko, reflecting apathy and hidden depth.
These musical mappings offer a fascinating glimpse into how non-human workers might develop and express emotional complexity. By imagining the playlists of these intelligent agents, Plys underscores the potential for music to humanize digital employees, providing a richer, more nuanced understanding of AI in both fiction and reality.
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