The origins of artificial intelligence lie not in neutral algorithms, but in deeply embedded power structures. The documentary “Ghost in the Machine” debunks the myth of inevitable progress and exposes the ideological fantasies that continue to fuel the hype surrounding AI to this day.
In collaboration with the NRW Competence Network K3 AI.Art.Culture, KISD is hosting a joint screening of the investigative documentary Ghost in the Machine. The event is free of charge and will be held in English. For more information, visit here.
Spanning eight chapters, the film interweaves historical analysis and contemporary criticism, exploring topics ranging from the eugenics movement to the tech oligarchs of today. With the help of over 30 international experts, the film reveals that AI is built on underpaid human data labor, enormous resource consumption, and political influence, not digital magic.
Ghost in the Machine is therefore not a film about technology, but rather, about power, responsibility, and our understanding of what it means to be human.
USA 2026, Documentary, 110 min, FSK 12 Director: Valerie Veatch Language: English (original version with subtitles)
Image: Microworld with William Shatner (1976), AT&T / Courtesy of Periscope
Date & Location:
Film Screening: Ghost in the Machine
November 10, 2026, 5:30–8:00 p.m.
Admission is free.
KISD, TH Köln
Room 11
Ubierring 40
50678 Cologne
Pic. © Microworld with William Shatner (1976), AT&T / Courtesy of Periscope