BoJack Horseman and the Satire of AI: A Reflection on Animation and Autonomy

Exploring the Intersection of Entertainment and Ethics Through BoJack Horseman's Comedic Subplots and Luke Stark’s Insights on Artificial Intelligence

Written by: Anneguzi

Figure 1. BoJack Horseman gazes into the sunset, lost in thought

BoJack Horseman is a critically acclaimed television series that aired from 2014 to 2020, presenting itself as a tragicomic, politically charged, and nuanced departure from your typical adult animated series. The show follows the titular character of BoJack Horseman, a washed-up 90s sitcom actor and his struggles with addiction, relationships and existential despair. However, weaved into the crevices of BoJack’s story, the series famously indulges in comedically absurd subplots.

In season five, episode 9, viewers are introduced to Henry Fondle, a sex robot created Todd (BoJack’s “roommate” and friend), for his girlfriend. In the next episode, through a chain of ridiculously unlikely and comical events— Henry becomes the CEO of major entertainment company WhatTimeIsItRightNow.com. Despite his programming only enabling him to utter nothing more than sexually suggestive phrases, he is propelled into a position of power.

Figure 2. Luke Stark, smiling during a casual moment

This absurd storyline is more than just adult television comedy; it is a satirical take on what Luke Stark likes to call ‘animation’— “a paradigm involving the projection of qualities perceived as human such as power, agency, will, and personality outside of the self and onto objects in the environment”. Stark’s paper, Animation and Artificial Intelligence presents a theoretical framework that aligns with Henry Fondle’s subplot. Stark argues that AI, much like the characters presented in pop culture and media, can be best understood as animated entities that project human qualities and stereotypes. His argument extends to AI technologies such as chatbots, which he views as more sophisticated animations that paint themselves as sentient beings, presenting a captivating, yet misleading illusion of life and autonomy.

Stark discusses the projection of human traits onto AI and human nature’s tendency to accept these qualities, despite them being mere imitations. Henry Fondle is a robot with a head for a blender, a vacuum body, a speak and spell for a chest, and rubber gloves attached to sticks for arms and hands— and he is still perceived as human enough to become the CEO of a massive company. This reflects Stark’s emphasis on how AI, through animation, manipulates human perceptions by employing characteristics that suggest a deeper cognition and autonomy than they truly possess.

Stark refers to this as a “grammar of action” and uses Open AI’s Chat GPT as a prime example; “ChatGPT’s core grammar of action is augmented by a variety of other mechanisms designed to give the system the further appearance of vitality and personality…GPT-4 itself was first “fine-tuned with additional data, using an algorithm called reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), to produce outputs that are preferred by human labellers”. This method not only refines AI’s capacity to simulate human dialogue but also enhances its ability to mimic human thought and its biases. Stark’s analysis suggests that this level of detailing in programming blurs the lines between an animated object and a sentient being.

AI is meticulously crafted to mimic human interaction, highlighting the importance of critically perceiving and interacting with these technologies. Stark’s analysis offers a lens through which to view AI not as distant, mystic entities but as constructed agents designed to blend into human environments and systems. Stark encourages a more grounded interaction with technology that recognizes its utility, whilst understanding its limits and dangers.

Henry Fondle acts as a device to explore these themes presented by Stark, reflecting the growing concerns about AI. BoJack Horseman and Stark collectively highlight the need for the critical evaluation of AI within society, urging viewers and readers to reflect upon the ethical decisions of how these technologies are being represented and integrated. Though Henry Fondle’s storyline is seemingly absurd, its underlying message is not far from reality in the age of AI, emphasizing the importance of digital literacy, and fostering a more informed and conscientious approach to the user experience. Stark’s paper, deeply rooted in the perception of AI as animated entities broader engagement and awareness about the roles AI technologies play, further emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in their use and interaction with human users.