New Delhi, September 4 (PTI) - Filmmaker Aranya Sahay explores the question, "If AI is going to have an impact on all of humanity, does it represent all of us?" in his film "Humans in the Loop", which delves into hierarchies in knowledge systems through the perspective of a tribal gig worker. Set against the backdrop of Jharkhand, the story follows Nehma, a tribal woman who takes up a job at an AI data-labeling center post-divorce. Initially excited, she soon begins to question the data she is tasked with feeding the machine. The film also examines her strained relationship with her teenage daughter, who desires to return to city life.
Sahay, an alumnus of St Stephen's College with a background in political science and history, and a direction graduate from FTII, conceived the film's idea from a news piece about Adivasi women engaging with AI in Jharkhand. However, it quickly evolved into an investigation of how AI is predominantly trained on data from the first world.
"As data labelers work with images, they sift through thousands of photos and videos, tagging objects. This process enables algorithms to differentiate between items like a chair and a table, or traffic lights," Sahay explained in an interview with PTI. "It's akin to parenting, where we inculcate moral values in our children. This creates a broader discourse in the film: 'If AI will influence humanity, does it truly represent all cultures or just a Euro-centric viewpoint?'"
"Humans in the Loop" has been showcased at film festivals such as MAMI and Cinevesture, winning the FIPRESCI India award. Helmed by executive producers Kiran Rao and Biju Toppo, the film will soon be screened at the Jagran Film Festival in Delhi and is set for a selective theatrical release on September 5.
Sahay, having spent nearly a year in Jharkhand, found the experience profoundly impactful in shaping the themes and issues reflected in the film. "During my research and travels, I encountered remnants of colonial structures. For instance, single-gauge trains and arches, which stood as reminders of colonists who branded indigenous tribal lifestyles as primitive nearly 300 years ago," Sahay said. "This historical hierarchy could be mirrored if AI continues to be trained on predominantly first-world data, forming the foundation of the film."
When asked about the timeliness of his film in the context of contemporary anxieties surrounding AI's future impact, Sahay emphasized that the events depicted in the film are based on current realities. "I avoided a futuristic film format because these issues are already present," he noted. "I wanted to depict today's scenarios and how aspects of Adivasi life interact with AI now."
The film's protagonist, Nehma, embodies a robust connection to nature, quintessential to her tribal identity. In one poignant scene, she takes her city-bred daughter foraging in the jungle, highlighting how to appreciate and gently interact with nature. Sahay aimed to juxtapose Nehma's understanding of nature with surrounding circumstances to underscore the hierarchy in knowledge systems.
"Some knowledge systems are deemed more advanced and 'civilized,' while others are dismissed as primitive. It was intriguing to explore this," Sahay remarked. "I recall conversations in Jharkhand, where one woman mentioned how they express gratitude to nature even when stepping on grass, contrasting with urban entitlement to natural resources. AI tends toward binaries, sacrificing nuance—a nuance present when interacting with something closely."
Despite the narrative's technology-centric undercurrents, Sahay centered his story around the emotional journey of his tribal protagonist and her daughter. "People are drawn to films for their emotional core, not for technological theatrics. The mother-daughter narrative is the emotional crux that supports my commentary on technology, imperialism, and AI," Sahay explained, citing films like "Arrival" and "Interstellar" as influences.
Sahay's upbringing, with parents who are sociologists, deeply influences his storytelling. "Their work instilled in me a curiosity about societal complexities," he said. "Though my initial passion was music, particularly Hindustani classical, cinema offered a medium to marry my interests in understanding society."
"Humans in the Loop" stars Sonal Madhushankar, Gita Guha, Vikas Gupta, Anurag Lugun, and Ridhima Singh, among others.
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