A quarter of a century ago, Steven Spielberg released one of the most unusual films of his career: A.I. Yet today, as AI systems become woven into everyday life, the film feels newly relevant – not because it accurately predicted ChatGPT or generative AI, but because it explored the emotional and ethical questions that emerge when people form relationships with machines. Spielberg initially resisted – but Kubrick continued to champion the idea, believing Spielberg’s emotional sensibility was better suited to the material. Robots of the future bring the boy’s mother back to life for a brief time, which no other Kubrick film had attempted. As people increasingly interact with AI assistants, companion chatbots and emotionally responsive technology, questions once confined to science fiction are becoming part of everyday life.