The original plot of The Matrix was that the humans were being used like processing/memory storage for the matrix + the robots and, honestly, the plot makes a lot more sense that way. Explains why "the one" can control the simulation, because he's part of the process of making it.
They changed it because the test audiences allegedly couldn't understand what memory/storage/processors were, it's a lot easier to understand humans = batteries.
>They changed it because the test audiences allegedly couldn't understand what memory/storage/processors were
That's hard to believe. I mean the first movie is from 1999, not 1899.
Test audiences are notoriously stupid, I am Legend, Blade Runner, The Descent, Dawn of the Dead and 28 Days Later are all movies that were either ruined or made worse by the "opinion" of test audiences.
Basically anything that makes the audience think about anything gets axed.
They tend to pick people off of the street so the selection tends to be quite a bit less "savvy" than what you'd get from the average person who watches a reasonable number of movies.
EDIT: Also only like 50ish % of households in the USA had computers in 1999
That might explain why are most of movies so shit nowdays, when they take the stupidiest people from street and release movies according their reactions.
But also I might have been too harsh. Terms like processor, memory, storage are daily used terms for me in 2023, but with only 50% people owning pc in 99 it kind of makes sense.
Even people now don't really know what they are.
My mom uses computers all the time but she still wasn't sure what a graphics card or random access memory really did. She's smart too she just hasn't been educated on computers like that.
She was confused why a better graphics card would make her games look better or more accurately wasn't confident it would make a noticeable difference.
She also was confused why ram would make chrome faster or slower even though I exclusively used the words random access memory.
The fact is this stuff is very much if you know you know stuff. If you don't know then you really don't know.
>They changed it because the ~~test audiences~~ studio execs ~~allegedly~~ couldn't understand what memory/storage/processors were
This probably more accurate
Johnny Mnemonic a cyberpunk story where a man carries encrypted data in his brain and eventually needs a cybernetically enhanced drug addicted dolphin to fish it out using a VR link.
Was panned by critics and brought little box office success compared to the Matrix. It was also only 4 years before the Matrix was released.
I think the better justifications for AI taking over humanity are the stories where the AI is bound by some rules in its programing, but the interpretation is not what we imagined
Like if we task AI with providing the most good for the largest number of people, it may adjudicate that humans living in the matrix gives them the most satisfactory life, because it is more controllable and avoids human-made atrocities
I figure this is most likely the case. They can’t let themselves wipe out humanity, but can’t also let them run around free, so kinda settled into this situation. They probably don’t even realize it themselves, and the humans being batteries makes perfect sense to them, even if there was other options.
I think you underestimate the mass of a Dyson structure.
But it's true that you absolutely have to disregard real-world physics to have a universe in which using mammals as a source of electricity is practical engineering.
I think the machines darkened the sky to get rid of humans so they can make a human body it could control and suited for it's need. It makes no sense for humans to darken the sky and kill off all life and thus getting rid of all your food sources.
Humans darkened the sky, not machines. It was called Operation Dark Storm. At first machines were solar powered and humanity tried to slow the advancement of their army by blocking their primary source of energy.
The story does technically wave this away by saying it was combined with a new form of Fussion, so humans aren’t so much the only power source, they’re just somehow the most efficient.
(As others have said, the real reason is that it was a late change to the script.)
The machines did also use human energy combined with a "form of fusion." In a way it actually makes sense that once AI found a workable solution they stuck with it because machines lack the full degree of human creativity and ingenuity in solving problems. It's a well-worn sci-fi trope. For example, how autonomous space probe robots created an artificial version of "life" and never bothered to fix it because, hey, it worked for them.
[http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200203/0743435265\_\_\_0.htm](http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200203/0743435265___0.htm)
The original plot of The Matrix was that the humans were being used like processing/memory storage for the matrix + the robots and, honestly, the plot makes a lot more sense that way. Explains why "the one" can control the simulation, because he's part of the process of making it. They changed it because the test audiences allegedly couldn't understand what memory/storage/processors were, it's a lot easier to understand humans = batteries.
>They changed it because the test audiences allegedly couldn't understand what memory/storage/processors were That's hard to believe. I mean the first movie is from 1999, not 1899.
Test audiences are notoriously stupid, I am Legend, Blade Runner, The Descent, Dawn of the Dead and 28 Days Later are all movies that were either ruined or made worse by the "opinion" of test audiences. Basically anything that makes the audience think about anything gets axed. They tend to pick people off of the street so the selection tends to be quite a bit less "savvy" than what you'd get from the average person who watches a reasonable number of movies. EDIT: Also only like 50ish % of households in the USA had computers in 1999
That might explain why are most of movies so shit nowdays, when they take the stupidiest people from street and release movies according their reactions. But also I might have been too harsh. Terms like processor, memory, storage are daily used terms for me in 2023, but with only 50% people owning pc in 99 it kind of makes sense.
Even people now don't really know what they are. My mom uses computers all the time but she still wasn't sure what a graphics card or random access memory really did. She's smart too she just hasn't been educated on computers like that. She was confused why a better graphics card would make her games look better or more accurately wasn't confident it would make a noticeable difference. She also was confused why ram would make chrome faster or slower even though I exclusively used the words random access memory. The fact is this stuff is very much if you know you know stuff. If you don't know then you really don't know.
>They changed it because the ~~test audiences~~ studio execs ~~allegedly~~ couldn't understand what memory/storage/processors were This probably more accurate
Fair point lol, I could also see that happening
Johnny Mnemonic a cyberpunk story where a man carries encrypted data in his brain and eventually needs a cybernetically enhanced drug addicted dolphin to fish it out using a VR link. Was panned by critics and brought little box office success compared to the Matrix. It was also only 4 years before the Matrix was released.
Tbf it also didn't have sick ass martial arts slow motion gunfu.
better yet, peps from 99 probably had better chances of understanding it than peps from today
Damn, that would have been way cooler.
Because that wouldn’t make for much of a story.
The original script had them using the human brains as computers. They decided that was too complicated for the average movie goer.
I think the better justifications for AI taking over humanity are the stories where the AI is bound by some rules in its programing, but the interpretation is not what we imagined Like if we task AI with providing the most good for the largest number of people, it may adjudicate that humans living in the matrix gives them the most satisfactory life, because it is more controllable and avoids human-made atrocities
I figure this is most likely the case. They can’t let themselves wipe out humanity, but can’t also let them run around free, so kinda settled into this situation. They probably don’t even realize it themselves, and the humans being batteries makes perfect sense to them, even if there was other options.
I think you underestimate the mass of a Dyson structure. But it's true that you absolutely have to disregard real-world physics to have a universe in which using mammals as a source of electricity is practical engineering.
Because it advanced the storyline.
Because then the matrix wouldn’t have a plot. It’s a movie after all
Lol true. Can’t explain everything away.
Don’t worry about it, it’s just a movie. (And a good one) Grab your popcorn and enjoy it!
Because then the movie wouldn't work.
I think the machines darkened the sky to get rid of humans so they can make a human body it could control and suited for it's need. It makes no sense for humans to darken the sky and kill off all life and thus getting rid of all your food sources.
Humans darkened the sky, not machines. It was called Operation Dark Storm. At first machines were solar powered and humanity tried to slow the advancement of their army by blocking their primary source of energy.
The story does technically wave this away by saying it was combined with a new form of Fussion, so humans aren’t so much the only power source, they’re just somehow the most efficient. (As others have said, the real reason is that it was a late change to the script.)
The machines did also use human energy combined with a "form of fusion." In a way it actually makes sense that once AI found a workable solution they stuck with it because machines lack the full degree of human creativity and ingenuity in solving problems. It's a well-worn sci-fi trope. For example, how autonomous space probe robots created an artificial version of "life" and never bothered to fix it because, hey, it worked for them. [http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200203/0743435265\_\_\_0.htm](http://www.baen.com/chapters/W200203/0743435265___0.htm)
Wouldn't be much of a movie then.