Dr. Roukana

Have you seen the movie Mercy?
This film powerfully illustrates a message I consistently emphasize in my work: Artificial Intelligence is a tool — a helper, a thinking partner — but it must never replace human judgment. Control must remain firmly in human hands. To do so, we must continuously develop decision-making skills, problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. Without these human competencies, AI can quickly shift from being a beneficial assistant to a destructive force.

AI Is Not Infallible — And Never Has Been
Despite its impressive capabilities, AI has well-documented limitations. Research shows that AI systems can:
* Hallucinate information (generate confident but incorrect outputs)
* Miss critical context or data
Misinterpret patterns
* Reinforce existing biases in training data
Studies from institutions such as MIT, Stanford, and OpenAI repeatedly stress that AI systems lack true understanding, reasoning, and moral judgment. They operate on probabilities, not wisdom.

AI does not “think.” It predicts.
Without human oversight, these limitations can lead to serious consequences — especially in high-stakes environments such as law, healthcare, and governance.

When AI Becomes the Judge: A Chilling Scenario
In Mercy, AI takes on the role of a judge. The entire courtroom is automated.
There are no human judges, no jury, no lawyers.
Only one human remains:
A man accused of murdering his wife.
He is given one hour to prove his innocence. If he fails, he will lose his life.
This setup alone raises urgent questions about ethics, accountability, and trust in automated decision-making systems — issues actively debated by AI ethicists worldwide.
Emotional Intelligence vs. Machine Logic
At the start of the trial, the protagonist is overwhelmed by panic. His emotions paralyze his ability to think logically. This moment highlights a critical yet often overlooked skill: emotional intelligence (EQ).
Research consistently shows that high emotional stress reduces cognitive performance and decision quality. Only when the character regains emotional control, he begins to:
* Think logically
* Apply structured problem-solving
* Ask the right questions
* Challenge assumptions
This is where human intelligence outperforms artificial intelligence.
The AI judge repeatedly emphasizes that she has:
-No emotions
-No intuition
-No gut feelings
-Only facts and data
She claims she cannot be wrong.
Yet, as the story unfolds, we discover that she is wrong.
Critical Thinking Saves a Life
The protagonist ultimately proves his innocence through:
* Critical thinking
* Logical reasoning
* Human intuition
* Ethical judgment
These are skills no AI system possesses — and likely never will.
However, the film also shows AI at its best:
The AI judge rapidly retrieves data, analyzes surveillance footage, and processes vast amounts of information in seconds. This speed and efficiency is where AI truly excels.
The truth emerges not because AI replaced humans — but because human judgment guided AI capabilities.
This aligns with research from Harvard Business Review, which concludes that the most effective systems are human-AI collaborations, not fully automated decision systems.

A World of Total Surveillance?
Another subtle but powerful theme in the film is complete digital surveillance. Cameras, data trails, and automated systems record nearly everything.
This raises critical questions about:
-Privacy
-Consent
-Data ownership
-Ethical use of AI
These are not science-fiction concerns. According to the World Economic Forum, AI-powered surveillance is already expanding globally, often faster than regulation.
Entertainment — Or a Thinking Experience?
I noticed something interesting while watching Mercy in Dubai over the weekend:
Many audience members left the theater midway through the film.
Perhaps it wasn’t the movie they expected.
Some people go to the cinema for mindless entertainment — a break from thinking.
Merci is not that kind of movie.
It is entertaining, but it also demands reflection. It challenges viewers to think deeply about technology, humanity, and responsibility.
As a professional in education technology and information literacy — particularly AI literacy — I found the film exceptionally well done. Not as a movie critic, but as someone who understands the real-world implications behind the story.
The Core Message We Cannot Ignore
The film reinforces a vital truth:
AI should assist human intelligence — not replace it.
To remain in control, humans must actively cultivate:
* Critical thinking
* Decision-making
* Problem-solving
* Emotional intelligence
* Ethical reasoning
Without these skills, we risk surrendering our agency to systems that do not understand meaning, morality, or consequences.