Artificial Justice (2024) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

Judge Carmen Costa's work with Thenti leads her to question whether automated justice is transparent or fair, while evidence surrounding Alicia's death exposes concealed exceptions and unresolved manipulation.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

A Judge Meets the Algorithm

Carmen overrides Thenti’s recommendation at a parole hearing and is invited by Alicia to evaluate the system. Her review of cases brings her into the company’s work and its public debate over algorithmic justice.

Key Events

• Thenti Assesses Jesus — Thenti predicts a high chance of reoffending and recommends denying release. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Parole hearing
• Carmen Grants Work Release — Carmen grants work release despite Thenti’s recommendation. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Parole hearing
• Alicia Approaches Carmen — Alicia brings Carmen to Thenti’s research facility. Characters: Carmen Costa, Alicia Kovacs Location: Unspecified
• Carmen Reviews Cases — Carmen compares her reasoning with the program’s rulings. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Thenti research facility
• Carmen Requests More Decisions — Carmen asks to study more of Thenti’s decisions. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Thenti research facility
• National Debate Looms — Carmen learns the company is preparing for a national debate on algorithmic justice. Characters: Carmen Costa, Brais Lago Location: Thenti research facility
• Brais Invites Carmen — Brais invites Carmen to work with the team and describes Thenti’s data basis. Characters: Carmen Costa, Brais Lago Location: Thenti research facility

A Death Challenges the Verdict

Alicia dies in a car crash, and the court attributes the decision that caused it to Thenti’s ethical algorithm. Carmen questions the fairness claim because the system cannot be independently examined and is trained on past rulings.

Key Events

• Brais Invites Carmen — Brais invites Carmen to work with the team and describes Thenti’s data basis. Characters: Carmen Costa, Brais Lago Location: Thenti research facility
• Alicia Dies in Crash — Alicia’s death in a car crash becomes central to Carmen’s doubts. Characters: Alicia Kovacs Location: Unspecified road
• Court Attributes Crash Decision — The court rules that Thenti’s ethical algorithm made the decision that caused the crash. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Court
• Ruling Presented as Fair — The ruling is publicly presented as evidence of Thenti’s fairness. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Unspecified public setting
• Carmen Questions Verification — Carmen questions how the claim can be verified while the algorithm is protected as intellectual property. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Unspecified
• Carmen Challenges Past Data — Carmen argues that past rulings cannot adapt to changing society or create new precedents. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Unspecified

Exceptions Behind the System

Vidal tells Carmen that vehicles could contain paid exceptions that prioritized certain users. Alicia’s exception had been removed shortly before the crash in a server attack, and the company concealed the practice to avoid scandal.

Key Events

• Vidal Contacts Carmen — Vidal contacts Carmen with information about the case. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal Location: Unspecified
• Paid Vehicle Exceptions Revealed — Vidal reveals that vehicles could contain paid exceptions prioritizing certain users’ lives. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal Location: Unspecified
• Alicia’s Exception Removed — Vidal says Alicia’s car had an exception that was removed shortly before the crash. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal, Alicia Kovacs Location: Unspecified
• Server Attack Disclosed — Vidal links the exception’s removal to a server attack. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal Location: Unspecified
• Company Conceals Exceptions — The company concealed the exceptions to avoid a scandal. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal Location: Unspecified
• Carmen Demands Access — Carmen presses for access to the algorithm as tensions rise over Thenti 2’s launch. Characters: Carmen Costa, Brais Lago Location: Unspecified

A Warning Without Closure

Carmen is hospitalized, hears that Brais has disappeared and is wanted in connection with Alicia’s death, and learns that Vidal has joined the board while she is suspended. Vidal disputes the evidence against Brais and warns that Carmen was used, leaving the truth unresolved.

Key Events

• Carmen Demands Access — Carmen presses for access to the algorithm as tensions rise over Thenti 2’s launch. Characters: Carmen Costa, Brais Lago Location: Unspecified
• Carmen Recovers in Hospital — Carmen is recovering in hospital when she hears Brais has disappeared. Characters: Carmen Costa Location: Hospital
• Brais Wanted in Death Case — Carmen hears that Brais is wanted in connection with Alicia’s death. Characters: Carmen Costa, Brais Lago Location: Unspecified
• Vidal Joins the Board — Carmen learns that Vidal has joined Thenti’s board and that she has been suspended. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal Location: Unspecified
• Vidal Disputes Evidence — Vidal says evidence against Brais, including material linking him to the hack, was fabricated. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal, Brais Lago Location: Unspecified
• Carmen Warned She Was Used — Vidal warns Carmen that she was used to make the operation appear legitimate. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal Location: Unspecified
• Unanswered Closing Question — The exchange ends with Vidal asking whether Carmen brought something, leaving the danger unresolved. Characters: Carmen Costa, Vidal Location: Unspecified

Story Breakdown

• Parole Judgment — Carmen’s decision in a parole hearing establishes the tension between human judgment and Thenti’s recommendation.
  • Risk Prediction — Thenti predicts a high chance of reoffending and recommends denying release.
  • Human Discretion — Carmen grants work release after considering the applicant’s plans for lawful work and further study.
• Thenti Evaluation — Alicia brings Carmen into the system’s research setting, where she compares her decisions with its rulings.
  • Case Review — Carmen studies cases alongside Thenti and requests access to more decisions.
  • Company Invitation — Brais invites Carmen to work with the team and explains the data used to build Thenti.
• Public Fairness Claim — Alicia’s death becomes linked to a court ruling that presents Thenti as ethically responsible and fair.
  • Crash Ruling — The court rules that Thenti’s ethical algorithm made the decision that caused the crash.
  • Sealed Algorithm — Carmen questions how the public can verify the fairness claim when the algorithm is protected as intellectual property.
• Limits of Past Rulings — Carmen challenges the system’s dependence on historical decisions and its inability to adapt to changing realities.
  • Changing Society — Carmen argues that a system trained on past rulings cannot adapt to social change.
  • No New Precedents — Carmen says Thenti cannot create new legal precedents.
• Hidden Vehicle Exceptions — Vidal reveals that paid exceptions could prioritize certain users and that Alicia’s exception was removed before the crash.
  • Paid Priorities — Vidal tells Carmen that vehicles could contain paid exceptions affecting whose lives were prioritized.
  • Server Attack — Alicia’s exception was removed shortly before the crash in a server attack.
• Concealment and Launch — The company concealed the exceptions to avoid scandal as Carmen demanded access and the Thenti 2 launch approached.
  • Scandal Avoidance — The company hid the existence of the paid exceptions.
  • Access Demand — Carmen presses for access to the algorithm amid tensions over Thenti 2.
• Suspension and Disappearance — From the hospital, Carmen learns of Brais’s disappearance and the changes in the company’s leadership.
  • Brais Wanted — Carmen hears that Brais has disappeared and is wanted in connection with Alicia’s death.
  • Vidal on Board — Vidal has joined Thenti’s board while Carmen has been suspended.
• Unresolved Warning — Vidal disputes evidence against Brais and warns Carmen that she was used, leaving the operation’s truth uncertain.
  • Fabricated Evidence — Vidal says evidence supposedly linking Brais to the hack was fabricated.
  • Final Question — Vidal warns Carmen that she was used to legitimize the operation, then asks whether she brought something.

Directed by

Simón Casal

Key Cast

• Verónica Echegui — Carmen Costa
• Alberto Ammann — Alex Havel
• Tamar Novas — Brais Lago
• Alba Galocha — Alicia Kovacs
• Lúcia Moniz — Sofía