MERCY: A Movie Review

"I am Judge Maddox, a Judicial system powered by AI"- The Mercy Capitol Court

Before we go any further, I just want you to know there will be SPOILERS for the movie. You have been warned.

The Synopsis

A detective wakes up in a chair dazed and confused. A screen lights up playing a commercial for the City of Los Angeles new justice system. An AI judge, jury and executioner. Once the charge has been filed, the detective must prove his innocence in 90 minutes or be killed.

Thoughts

First off, a judge AI. The movie only gives us a brief look at the kinds of criminals the Mercy court has processed. A lot of them were drug dealers or killers. However, anyone who has taken part in the legal system knows there are different charges for different degrees of lawful violations. Judge Maddox says she processes the facts. But the facts are what the police submit to the system (or what the Municipal cloud stores in relation to a case).

Second, an AI jury. This is questionable given how Maddox is programmed to also be judge. A voice on behalf of the community who bases all verdicts on the facts presented regardless of the truth. However, as more evidence is admitted, the facts laying out a clearer picture, we do see a fair jurisdiction as the "guilt rate" fluctuates.

Third, an AI executioner. Forget prison. After 90 minutes of a court hearing, if you're still looking guilty, you're out. The point is made how LA needs Mercy to keep the city on the straight and narrow. If someone gets exonerated from death row, it lights a spark in the community that could backfire on the system.

The Common Flaw

Let's say you were detective Raven. You wake up strapped to a seat and are charged with a capital crime. You have 90 minutes to prove your innocence but before your case starts you see a narrative flash before your eyes where people already believe you to be a bad guy. Now you're emotionally distraught. You aren't thinking straight. And the worse part, time is now running out.

It's like playing an Escape Room except you are by yourself. You have 1 hour to solve the problem and have an assistant who can prompt you. But can you do it? As someone who has experienced the judicial system on a local level, I'm aware how an accusation can stain your reputation. You feel like people who know you wouldn't believe such stories...only to see how easy it is for your image to alter. Does truth matter? Does justice matter? Will we wait for clarity before passing judgment? Will we be the jury we deserve?

Pros And Cons of AI

I feel like the movie presents the pros and cons of AI well. On the one hand you have access to a whole database of information. Proving your innocence should be easy. Cameras, devices, social media, all part of a cloud server. The law requires it. Everything you say and do is on record (a foreshadowing of the Final Judgement- Romans 14:10-12).

On the other hand, an AI is a program. And like all programs they can be faulty at times. We see this play out as detective Raven questions Maddox design. Causing her to glitch as she tries to process all this new information (nearly killing Raven because of it). We also see that the court depends on human testimony (so not entirely AI based programming). Assuming that each witness is telling the truth, dictates how the program adjusts to new information.

AI In Reality

Currently AI can do lots of things. Process information in minutes, creates life-like pictures and videos, creates life-like music, brings the imagination to life, can search the internet for you...there is no end because AI is updating every day to be better. Where does this leave us? Well, I doubt that we'll replace our entire judiciary branch with AI anytime soon. But it does raise a problem that we are already seeing in society today. When technology gets smarter, we get dumber. We are allowing our cognitive and physical abilities to take a backseat while a program of 1s and 0s does the thinking and moving for us. This isn't a good premise for a strong future regardless of the leaps in technology we take. The hope of AI is that even though it seems unstoppable in becoming part of us in society, AI is only as smart as it's programmer.

But the question remains. Could you prove your innocence in 90 minutes with an entire cloud of data at your fingertips?