Some researchers believe the A.I. film’s robots are a reasonable approximation of where robotics is headed.

Ray Kurzweil believes human emotions, especially love, are half a century away from being replicated by machines. Should that day arrive, says Kurzweil, machines will have become human.

The robot-boy David expresses an unrequited love for his human owner, all the while wishing he were “a real boy.”

To Kurzweil, this is evidence of David’s humanity. “He’s not biological,” says Kurzweil. “But he should be considered a real boy if he can express that deepest, richest emotion we have. He should be considered part of human civilization.”