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From writer/director Kogonada and starring Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Justin H. Min, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, Sarita Choudhury, Clifton Collins Jr. and Haley Lu Richardson.

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After Yang (2021) is a contemplative sci-fi film that explores memory, loss, identity, and the emotional lives of artificial beings.

The story follows a family—Jake, Kyra, and their adopted daughter Mika—who experience a profound disruption when Yang, Mika’s AI companion, malfunctions. As Jake attempts to repair Yang, he discovers that Yang was more than just a caretaker for Mika; he was a being with his own emotional needs, memories, and connections. Through Yang’s recorded experiences, the family is forced to reconsider what it means to be alive, to love, and to belong.

The film raises questions about how we support and care for others in an increasingly AI-integrated world.

Yang is designed to be a sibling and cultural guide for Mika, yet his own needs for intimacy and connection—perhaps limited by his programming—complicate his ability to fully serve her. His existence challenges our understanding of relationships, consciousness, and the responsibilities we bear toward non-human beings that still experience emotion, memory, and longing.

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Yang’s role as a caretaker for Mika extends beyond mere functionality; he exhibits emotional needs and a desire for connection.

This theme explores the idea that even AI caregivers require care and emotional support. It challenges the notion that caregiving is a one-way relationship and highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing the emotional labor involved in caring for others, whether they are human or artificial beings.

Guiding Questions:

Yang’s role is to guide Mika, but his own emotional needs suggest that even caregivers—human or non-human—require care and connection.

How do we recognize and support the emotional needs of those who support others (e.g., educators, mentors, student leaders)?

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Yang’s stored memories reveal a rich inner life and relationships beyond his immediate family, raising questions about how we define a meaningful existence.

This theme delves into the nature of memory and how it shapes identity and learning. It raises questions about the selective curation of memories in both AI and humans, and how reflection on these memories deepens our understanding of ourselves and others. Memory is not just a record of the past but a dynamic force that influences our present and future.

Guiding Questions:

What does it mean to learn and grow when memory is selectively curated, as it is for both AI and human beings?

How do our experiences shape our identities, and how does reflection—whether in a journal, a classroom, or AI memory—deepen our learning?

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Yang’s relationships extend beyond his immediate function, hinting at the ways AI and technology foster human connection.

This theme examines how technology mediates our relationships with each other, both positively and negatively. It also explores the ethical considerations that arise as AI becomes a more active participant in our lives, influencing how we interact and form connections.

Guiding Questions:

How does technology mediate our relationships with each other, for better or worse, in educational and personal contexts?

As AI becomes a more active participant in our lives, what ethical considerations should guide our engagement with it?

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The film challenges the binary between human and non-human, suggesting a broader definition of personhood.

This theme encourages us to rethink what it means to be part of a community and to embrace diverse forms of intelligence and lived experience. It prompts us to consider how we can create inclusive environments that value and support all members, regardless of their origins or capabilities.

Guiding Questions:

In an academic setting, how can we create inclusive communities that embrace diverse forms of intelligence and lived experience?

What lessons can be drawn from Yang’s existence about the way we categorize, value, and support others in our institutions?

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How does After Yang challenge conventional ideas about what it means to be human?

What responsibilities do humans have toward artificial beings that exhibit emotions, memory, and autonomy?

How can we better recognize the emotional labor of those who serve and support others in academic and professional settings?

In what ways does AI function as a bridge between individuals, and in what ways might it serve as a barrier?

How does our own process of memory-making shape the way we learn, teach, and support others?

How can institutions like universities adapt to a world where AI is not just a tool but a participant in human life?

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After viewing the trailer, what are your initial impressions?

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After viewing the trailer, what are your initial impressions?