Battlestar Galactica Star Reflects on AI Warnings as Sci-Fi Becomes Reality

Beverly Hills, Calif. — Tricia Helfer, star of the hit series "Battlestar Galactica," recently shared her thoughts on how the show’s warnings about artificial intelligence (AI) have become eerily relevant in today's tech-driven world. Speaking at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, Helfer reflected on the prescient themes of the show, which first aired more than 20 years ago.

"We did warn against AI while we were shooting it," Helfer said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "It was 20 years ago, and I’ve recently re-watched it and went, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s even more relevant now.’ So I think we just really need to be careful. It’s a slippery slope between using it to our advantage and having it maybe be able to control us a little bit."

For those unfamiliar, "Battlestar Galactica" reimagined the 1978 original series and debuted on the SyFy channel in 2004. It explored a post-apocalyptic battle between humans and Cylons—humanoid robots created by humans that eventually turned against their makers and unleashed a devastating nuclear attack. Helfer’s character, Number Six, was a Cylon who played a pivotal role as both a villain and an unlikely ally.

Helfer added, "I think we’re a little bit far off from the humanoid Cylons yet and humanoid robots, but I don’t know, they’re coming." While her prediction might sound ominous, her remarks echo growing concerns about the rapid evolution of AI technology.

On the topic of AI, Helfer emphasized the importance of regulation and awareness, noting, "It’s not going away, so I think it’s something that we’re going to have to embrace. But one of the things 'Battlestar Galactica' did was warn about it. And that’s, I think, something that we need to make sure [is] that we have is regulations and an understanding of how quickly and how overwhelming this technology could become."

Meanwhile, plans for a "Battlestar Galactica" reboot have hit a snag. The project was initially being developed by Sam Esmail, the creator of "Mr. Robot," for Peacock, but it has since been halted and is now being shopped around to other networks. Esmail previously shared that the updated version would delve deeper into the societal implications of AI, matching today’s heightened awareness of its risks. "The world is changing way too fast for us," Esmail said in a 2023 interview. "The focus is the same, which is the fear of tech and how it might take over, but this idea of just ‘the robots are going to be our overlords’ is a very facile and overly simplistic way of looking at it."

Interestingly, AI technology is already being used to create humanoid replicas, albeit in less dystopian ways. Alan Hamel, the widower of late actress Suzanne Somers, recently collaborated with an AI company called Hollo to create a digital "twin" of her. The AI replica is designed to preserve Somers’ essence through her recorded appearances and writings, offering her fans a chance to interact with her likeness through calls, chat, and text. According to the company’s CEO, Rex Wong, such technology could help extend legacies and keep loved ones alive in virtual form for generations to come.

While Helfer believes fully humanoid robots are still a ways off, these developments suggest that the lines between science fiction and reality are blurring faster than anyone could have imagined. Perhaps "Battlestar Galactica" was more of a prophecy than a TV show after all.