YouTube Gold: 21st Century Charlie Chaplin

The development of AI has really started to accelerate and we are just in the earliest stages. No one really knows what to expect but we’ve gotten some intimations as, so far, AI has written term papers and collegiate entry essays, is on the verge of revolutionizing legal and medical research, and, soon, is very likely to provide basic medical advice.

The revolution that the Internet sparked, remember, is barely 30 years old (the Internet is older but the revolution started with the web browser Mosaic and look how much the world has changed). AI is going to have positive and negative effects in the future, but also on the past.

In one example, it has been used to translate and interpret ancient texts. In another, which is closer to our times, it has been put to use to update a 106 year old clip featuring Charlie Chaplin.

Chaplin debuted his Little Tramp character in 1914. In this clip, he is partly goofing around, partly mugging for the crowd and partly making his movie.

It’s a view of him you have never seen before. As AI continues to develop, this sort of thing will eventually become child’s play, or, depending on your perspective, immense cultural vandalism.

Whatever you think, this video is quite striking. Buckle up: the future is here.