Gender Stereotypes In Ex Machina '

In Ex Machina directed by Alex Garland, the main character Caleb is invited to the research facility unknowingly by his CEO Nathan. He invites Caleb to the research facility to determine if Ava is a real AI being able to think and act like a human by herself. Nathan has designed the AI, Ava, as a women. Caleb questions why she is a woman instead of having no gender, but Nathan says to see if it is a real AI that a gender identity would need to be formed. Nathan chose Ava to be a woman over a male as well as past AI’s. In this paper I will argue that Nathan is using the sex appeal of a woman AI to his advantage and the film shows how society has undesirably shaped women. First of all, Nathan only makes woman AI’s. Nathan is a male and when …show more content…
The AI Kyoko first plays out as a servant and is cleaning up for Nathan. Nathan yells at her for spilling wine and doesn’t seem very kind towards her. Then we learn that she is also being used as a sex slave whenever Nathan wants. Her appearance is what I would assume is Nathan's type. He designed her and her body. Kyoko never looks happy and doesn’t talk. It seems that her only purpose is for Nathan’s sexual desire and to clean. Both AI’s are not allowed to leave the building while Nathan and Caleb go in and out. Ava is locked in a little room with not many things and doesn’t have much interaction with people. She seems sad and when presented with Caleb she takes interest with him because he could help her escape. Also, Nathan has a closet full of past AI’s. You can see the type of woman that Nathan prefers because they all have similar body aspects. Some of the AI’s are just naked for what I must infer for his own pleasure or he would have given them cloths. We see clips of them through past videos. They all wanted out of the containment they are in. One even was trying to smash her way out through the glass. It show’s that they are just being used and when they would try to get out he terminated them. In our society I feel like many women feel like they are slaves in industry because we live in a male dominated world. In the acting world men run the show and women feel like they need to do things that may not seem right. …show more content…
Nathan uses the AI’s bodies, their appearance, and keeping them captive to see if they are a true AI. Nathan believes that if they are a true AI that using their sexuality to help escape would pass his test. The film shows that women are feeling like slaves to society based on how they dress and use their bodies. This is not a desirable lifestyle for women. Society has put pressure on women to live this lifestyle to fit in and to make it in this place. While looking at both women and the AI’s, they seem to have many similar qualities both by dealing with being controlled by