What HAL 9000 Teaches Us About AI-Driven Authorization

In the famous scene from Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” astronaut Dave Bowman orders HAL 9000, the sentient AI aboard the Discovery One, to open the pod bay doors so he can re-enter the spacecraft. HAL refuses: “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Tension arises after HAL secretly lip-reads a private conversation between Dave and Frank Poole, where they discuss disconnecting the disobedient HAL. But Dave and Frank are unaware of the true mission objectives. Operating under a different set of directives…