It seems artificial intelligence has reached the last sacred territory of humanity — family relationships!
And if parents used to dream of children who tidy their room on their own, do their homework and don't demand a new phone every six months, now a completely unexpected alternative has appeared.
So what if you simply replace a child with a robot? 😁
That is precisely the idea the famous New Zealand director voiced, with his characteristic sense of humour Taika Waititi, known for the films "Jojo Rabbit", "Thor: Ragnarok" and "What We Do in the Shadows".
The occasion was an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, devoted to his new science-fiction film "Klara and the Sun".
🤖 22 October 2026 — interview; 23 October — premiere of the film "Klara and the Sun". United Kingdom and United States.
The lead role in the film was played by Jenna Ortega, and among the other stars are Amy Adams, Steve Buscemi and Natasha Lyonne.
The picture is based on the novel by Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro and tells of a future in which people have grown so distant from one another that they have begun buying artificial friends for their children.
Ortega's character is the robot Klara, created specifically to communicate with people. She can observe, learn, show care and gradually tries to understand the most complex thing in the Universe — human feelings.
And, as it turns out, that is far harder than following commands!
👨👧👧 "I'd like a child who at least doesn't ask for money!"
During the interview, the conversation turned to whether people might one day replace a loved one with an artificial copy.
Waititi admitted that with age he had come to view this idea differently. As the father of two children, he understands how strong parental attachment is and how hard it is even to imagine losing a child.
The director suggested that a person really could become emotionally attached to an artificial copy of a beloved being.
And then, as usual, he could not resist a joke.
Waititi declared that he would quite consider the possibility of replacing one of his children with a robot. And for that, one doesn't even have to wait for some tragic circumstances!
And he explained that he would simply like to get a version of a child that treats him well and doesn't ask for money. 😂
And here, it seems, millions of parents around the world paused for a second to think.
Just imagine!
A robot child doesn't demand that you buy it a new smartphone.
Doesn't ask for money for entertainment.
Doesn't leave clothes lying around.
Doesn't argue about why it has to go to bed.
And when asked to tidy its room, it cheerfully replies: "Command received. Executing!"
Every parent's dream. Until the first software update! 🤣
🧠 And what if the robot turns out to be too smart?
Of course, artificial children could open up entirely new problems for humanity.
Picture a family dinner.
Mom asks her son to finish his vegetables.
And he replies:
"According to an analysis of 14 632 scientific studies, your recommendation requires additional justification."
Or Dad asks why the child got an F.
And the robot calmly reports:
"Error detected. The educational system is at fault. Send a complaint to the principal?"
The teenage years would be especially interesting.
Instead of the usual door-slamming, the child could simply revoke parental access!
And the phrase "I gave you life, and I will take it away!" would finally acquire a completely literal meaning. 😂
🎬 A film that makes you think
However, behind Waititi's jokes hides a rather serious question.
The new picture tells not so much about technology as about love, loneliness and the human need to be needed by someone.
Clara is the artificial friend of a teenage girl, Josie, who is going through a difficult period in her life and facing an illness.
The robot tries to understand people and to help the family it joins.
But the more attentively Clara studies human relationships, the harder it becomes to answer the question: what exactly makes us human?
The ability to think?
To remember?
To love?
Or simply to be there when someone is feeling bad?
The director himself admits that such stories make one think about how easily a person can become emotionally attached even to an artificial being.
And after all, already today many people talk to AI assistants, thank them, give them names and sometimes even treat them as conversation partners.
And what will happen when such systems acquire a human appearance and learn to convincingly portray emotions?
Perhaps then the question of robots in the family will cease to seem like science fiction.
🤖 The perfect child. But there's a catch!
Perhaps Waititi's idea has one amusing weakness.
What will happen if children themselves decide to replace their parents with robots?
Imagine an artificial dad who never scolds, allows you to play on the computer until midnight and hands out pocket money at the first request.
And a robot mom who doesn't remind you about your hat, doesn't make you eat soup and never asks why the room is a mess.
It seems parents haven't yet realized that artificial intelligence has a flip side too! 😁
Meanwhile, "Klara and the Sun" has already been released in cinemas, offering viewers a far deeper story than the director's joking statement might suggest.
And it is quite possible that it is precisely such films that will help us think ahead about a future in which technology becomes not merely a tool but part of our personal relationships.
And Taika Waititi, as always, has managed to turn a serious philosophical theme into an occasion for a laugh.
After all, if perfect robot children ever appear, parents will finally be rid of all their child-rearing problems.
True, new ones will appear:
"Your son didn't do his homework again today!"
"Strange, we updated the software yesterday."
"And what now?"
— Try turning him off and back on again! 🤣
And the main question of the future, it seems, will be:
"Mom, am I real or did you get me on a subscription?" 😂
