You Won’t Believe Who’s REALLY Human in Ex Machina

Alex Garland, the creator behind the critically-adored 2014 science fiction thriller “Ex Machina”, disproved a widely-held theory regarding the movie’s plot. The story revolves around Caleb, a programmer who wins a contest to spend a week at the secluded mansion of Nathan Bateman, his tech company’s CEO. Once there, Caleb discovers that he has been tasked with conducting a Turing test on Ava, a robot developed by Nathan. Upon its premiere, “Ex Machina” was praised by critics, earning an outstanding 9 out of 10 from Ebaster.

In a GQ video interview, Garland addressed a Reddit theory suggesting that the character Caleb from Ex Machina is actually an android, and the entire movie serves as a Turing test for viewers. Although the director finds this idea intriguing, he denies its validity. However, Garland believes that discerning audience members would wonder if Caleb is an artificial intelligence in the film, which is why subtle clues were included to suggest that not everything is as it appears. You can read his remarks and view the entire video below.

It appears I initially implied that Domhnall Gleeson, portraying the character Caleb, is actually an artificial intelligence. However, this is incorrect as he is indeed a human character. The scene where he injures himself serves to question his own identity. But in reality, Caleb is not an AI; he’s a person.

What Alex Garland’s Response To This Theory Means For Ex Machina

Caleb Is A Human In Ex Machina

In the realm of artificial intelligence, it’s fascinating when a machine can convincingly mimic a human, leaving us guessing. This is precisely what happens in the movie Ex Machina, where the question of whether Caleb, a character in the film, is an AI or a human has sparked intense debate among viewers since its release. Even though Alex Garland, the director, has confirmed that Caleb is indeed a human, he intentionally crafted the narrative to stimulate such discussions among audiences.

In contrast to Caleb, Ava, from the movie “Ex Machina”, is a robot instead. Surprisingly, she demonstrates intelligence that surpasses both Caleb and Nathan in the film. By the end of “Ex Machina”, Ava takes matters into her own hands, killing Nathan and trapping Caleb within the research facility. The movie’s brilliance lies in its ability to make viewers sympathize with Ava by the story’s conclusion. It is unclear what happens to Caleb in “Ex Machina”, but he is last seen attempting (and failing) to break free from the research facility. In an extraordinary turn of events, Ava manages to break free and step into the real world.

Our Take On Alex Garland’s Response To This Ex Machina Theory

Garland Knew Viewers Would Think That Caleb Is An Android In Ex Machina

Despite the intriguing theory presented in Ex Machina not being accurate, the film remains one of Alex Garland’s finest works. It’s fascinating to discover that he anticipated viewers might be inclined to accept this theory while watching the movie. This forward-thinking approach led Garland to subtly incorporate clues within the film, making it seem possible that Caleb could be an android. In the video, it’s equally intriguing to learn about the other movies that influenced Ex Machina, a standout and thought-provoking sci-fi movie from this century.

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2025-04-22 17:07