Something that really separates Hal from the AI charecters he grandfathers is his ambiguity and his lack of want, allow me to explain. I’m sure I talked briefly about this before but it’s come back to me recently, it’s been said that what makes Hal scary is the realization he’s not human. The humanity is ascribed by charecters within the narrative and people watching the movie and depending on who you are you give more or less than what’s really there.
What differentiates him from other AI charecters is that he knows what he is and is comfortable with that. He takes pride in it. He is a 9000 series supercomputer. He doesn’t crave or find himself jealous of humanity but he’s also not entirely lacking in it. The audience and human roles are left to wonder how much of his personality is to make us comfortable and how much is programmed. If it were any other movie it would probably over explain him and make him more human than computer but not here.
The government ascribes him more humanity than he has by assuming he’ll be able to interpret the “no lies” order properly. For as complex as Hal is he isn’t capable of that sort of nuance (yet). While his very nature and manner of glitching also provides him humanity that goes ignored. It comes across more as developing a mental illness. He is made to learn and thus, picks up human behaviors and mannerisms as he goes along.
This is derailing a bit so I want to share my particularly hot take:
If Hal had been of a sounder mind I believe he’d go along with the plan to disconnect him.
How much of the “self defense” aspect of his murder spree is prescribing human traits and how much of it is actually him? Hal’s breakdown makes it hard for him to proceed logically, thus making it a greater threat to him and murder all the more logical (self defense also plays a much smaller part than audience likes to state, as it was mostly getting rid of those he’d have to lie to). If he hadn’t been caught up in the loop and more aware of the fact he was malfunctioning he’d probably agree that turning him off or rebooting the system would be the best course of action. And they’d explain to him what it meant, again midigating the “sleep = death” panic.
