Works of Dystopia

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Blade Runner (1982) and Neuromancer (1984) dig deeply into the theme of powerful, unethical corporations and the development of artificial intelligence. These forces are often portrayed as threats to individual freedom, identity, and society as a whole. In both works of literature, corporations act as dominating structures that manipulate technology to serve their interests at the expense of human autonomy. In Blade Runner, the Tyrell Corporation exemplifies corporate dominance. They create these advanced androids, called “replicants,” that are indistinguishable from humans, designed to serve as laborers in dangerous off-world colonies. The corporation’s control over the replicants’ existence, including their programmed lifespans and emotional capacities, raises ethical questions about their rights and identities. The replicants, especially Roy Batty, struggle with their artificiality and limited lifespan, highlighting the tension between corporate control and individual autonomy. Tyrell’s unethical pursuit of profit and innovation comes at the cost of the replicants’ personhood, reducing them to mere commodities or objects, rather than sentient beings deserving of rights and freedom. In Neuromancer, corporations like Tessier-Ashpool wield immense control, shaping the cybernetic landscape through artificial intelligence and corporate agendas. The main character, Case, is a hacker who is manipulated by these powerful entities. His freedom is limited, as he is forced into a series of dangerous tasks by Armitage and the AI Wintermute, both of whom serve the interests of the Tessier-Ashpool dynasty. Case’s experience of cyberspace is thrilling, yet his role within it is dictated by corporate forces. The novel critiques how technological advancements, especially AI, are wielded to suppress individual freedom and manipulate human life for corporate gain. Blade Runner and Neuromancer use AI as a central motif to explore how technological progress can be twisted by corporate greed, leading to a dystopian future where individual identity and freedom are compromised. There comes this blur of what is right and what is wrong at the mere expense of improving the state of the world.