Organised by the Swiss Science Film Academy, the Global Science Film Festival is an annual event through which filmmakers and scientists connect and collaborate. The screenings, open to the public all over the world, includes films, documentaries, animations and shorts with the idea of sparking curiosity about the wonders of science and technology.

On November 8, we will be screening the documentary film AI As A Friend: Does A Chatbot Relationship Really Work? simultaneously in Bengaluru, New Delhi, Mumbai, Zurich, Shanghai, Osaka, Tokyo and Seoul. The 38-minute long film in the German language explores AI’s abilities to be a good flatmate, relationship partner and best friend.

The film asks questions by way of tracking five participants and their interactions with an AI chatbot over a period of three weeks. Will the relationship between man and AI always be like that of a master and servant? Or will AI chatbots become so integrated into our daily lives that conversations with them will feel natural? And what if an AI chatbot suddenly decides to challenge or deceive us?

This unique experiment was conducted by the Swiss broadcaster SRF as part of their popular science programme Einstein and the film is directed by Einstein hosts Kathrin Höneggar and Tobias Müller.

The screening will be followed by a hybrid panel discussion with filmmakers and science experts from each of the eight locations. Ranjith Jaganathan, an interdisciplinary cognitive scientist and adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), will be the speaker from Bengaluru.

To attend the festival in New Delhi, request an invitation by writing to Dr. Indraneel Ghosh ([email protected]), and for Mumbai, reach out to Maitreyee Shirolkar ([email protected]).