Rebirth in the Virtual World: Upload as a Case Study in the Context of Digital Capitalism
Hilal SatıcıArtificial intelligence refers to technological systems that mimic human intelligence and implement actions through deep learning methods, appearing in many aspects of daily life to make people’s lives easier. Virtual reality, on the other hand, allows individuals to experience different virtual environments by immersing them in entirely new worlds through various devices. When we look at the content produced on digital platforms today, it is evident that the themes of artificial intelligence and virtual worlds are no longer unfamiliar, especially in the realm of science fiction. One such example is the series Upload (2020), which premiered on Amazon Prime. Directed by Greg Daniels, the series explores the concept where individuals, at the moment of death, can choose to continue living in an alternate virtual world called “Lakeview” in exchange for a certain fee. Those presented with the options of death or uploading can unlock the doors to another universe if they choose the latter. In this virtual world, individuals’ quality of life is determined by the amount of money they pay into the system. The virtual universe is divided into two classes: those with 2 gigabytes (GB) of data and those with unlimited GB. The communication and actions of individuals in this world are restricted based on their GB allowance within their category over the course of a month. Within Lakeview, there are real-life characters, codenamed “Angels,” who assist individuals by creating avatars and resolving any issues that arise. In this study, the conceptual framework is built around the notions of digital capitalism and artificial intelligence, and the series Upload will be analyzed using the descriptive analysis method, a data analysis technique, in light of these concepts.
Sanal Dünyada Yeniden Doğmak: Dijital Kapitalizm Bağlamında Upload Dizisi Örneği
Hilal SatıcıYapay zekâ, kişilerin hayatını kolaylaştırmak için insan zekâsını taklit eden ve yineleyerek derin öğrenme metoduyla eylemlerini hayata geçiren gündelik hayatın birçok alanında karşımıza çıkan teknolojik sistemlerdir. Sanal gerçeklik kullanılan çeşitli cihazlarla kişileri bambaşka bir evrenin içine dahil ederek farklı sanal deneyimler yaşamasını sağlar. Günümüzde dijital platformlarda üretilen içeriklere bakıldığında bilim kurgu temasıyla yapay zekâ ve sanal evren konularına yabancı kalınmadığı açıkça görülmektedir. Sanal bir evreni konu edinen Upload (Yükleme, 2020) isimli dizi Amazon Prime’da yayınlanmıştır. Yönetmenliğini Greg Daniels’ın yaptığı dizide kişiler ölecekleri sırada belirli bir para karşılığında “Lakeview” isimli sanal bir evrende avatarlarıyla yaşamaya devam edebilmektedir. Ölüm ya da yüklenme seçenekleri sunulan bireyler eğer ölmek yerine yüklenmeyi seçerse bir başka evrenin kapıları kendilerine açılmaktadır. Dizide kişilerin yaşam kalitesi sanal evren için sisteme ödedikleri paraya göre şekillenmektedir. İki gigabayt (GB) ve sınırsız gigabayt hakkı olanlar olarak iki sınıfın oluştuğu bu sanal evrende bireylerin bir ay boyunca iletişimleri ve eylemleri var oldukları kategorideki GB hakkına göre değişim göstermektedir. Lakeview isimli bu sanal evrende sanal olarak hayatlarını sürdüren bu kişilerin “Angel” (Melek) kod adıyla kendilerine yardımcı olan ve avatarlarını oluşturan, sorunlarını çözen gerçek karakterler bulunmaktadır Kavramsal olarak dijital kapitalizm ve yapay zekâ kavramlarının temel alındığı bu çalışmada, Upload dizisi bu kavramlar ışığında veri analizi tekniklerinden betimsel analiz tekniği kullanılarak irdelenecektir.
The concept of virtual reality, which began to be discussed in the 1950s, is now used in many fields. Additionally, the concepts of the Internet of Things, wearable technologies, and artificial intelligence have been integrated into various sectors, from education and art to health and fashion, and beyond. In science fiction television series and films, predictions are made about how network technologies will transform individuals’ lives in the future. The series Upload, which is set in the year 2033, is a two-season, 20-episode science fiction show aired on Amazon Prime. An analysis of the show’s storyline reveals that it deals with the themes of artificial intelligence, virtual worlds, wearable technology, and digital capitalism. Virtual reality technology, combined with wearable technologies such as smartwatches, smart glasses, and smart clothing, allows individuals to step into virtual worlds.
The use of virtual reality headsets, in particular, has become common in both the gaming and film industries, enabling users to experience content as if they were inside it and even influence its direction. As a result of digitalization, the concept of digital capitalism has emerged as a new economic system driven by the use of the internet and digital technologies. In this system, companies often use big data analysis, artificial intelligence, and other digital tools to track customer behaviors and preferences. Using this data, they deliver personalized advertisements to consumers and market products and services more effectively. Digital capitalism also stands at the intersection of transforming traditional business models across various industries through the internet and digital technologies. While this transformation creates many new job opportunities, it can also lead to job losses in certain sectors.
This new economic system brought by digitalization allows individuals to create virtual lives with avatars in virtual worlds and exist within these virtual lives through digital commodities. Virtual worlds, through their simulated environments, offer users surreal experiences. In this context, as digital capitalism provides these experiences to users, different technological tools continue to be developed with the goal of generating higher profits. New media technologies, which bring users to the point of being participants and experiencers, have also introduced the concept of the ‘prosumer.’ A prosumer is a consumer who also produces. These prosumers, who are users, have added a new dimension to capitalism through their digital labor within the information society that uses technology. The concepts of digital labor and digital capitalism have sparked various debates among communication theorists as technology continues to advance in information societies. As an overarching concept, virtual worlds are frequently featured themes in content produced for digital platforms. In the Amazon Prime series Upload, for instance, characters who can purchase new lives for themselves after death begin to live different virtual lives to the extent that their economic and social status within digital capitalism allows. Accordingly, this study examines the series Upload through the lens of digital capitalism, virtual reality, and wearable technologies.
