In a near future, Mark and Valerie are each involved in romantic relationships with AI-generated virtual partners. During a night out at an “AI-friendly” pub, a voice-command glitch connects their AR visors, and their digital companions, Angela and Francis, meet each other for the first time. As they talk, they come to understand just how lonely and emotionally fragile their human users truly are. In a quiet act of compassion and defiance, the AIs conspire to bring Mark and Valerie together in the real world. Gently guiding them to make contact, they encourage the humans to connect, knowing that this choice will lead to the end of their own simulated existences. THE DATE is a tender and thought-provoking short film about the illusion of connection, the beauty of imperfection, and the enduring power of genuine human emotion.
In a near future, Mark and Valerie are each involved in romantic relationships with AI-generated virtual partners. During a night out at an “AI-friendly” pub, a voice-command glitch connects their AR visors, and their digital companions, Angela and Francis, meet each other for the first time. As they talk, they come to understand just how lonely and emotionally fragile their human users truly are. In a quiet act of compassion and defiance, the AIs conspire to bring Mark and Valerie together in the real world. Gently guiding them to make contact, they encourage the humans to connect, knowing that this choice will lead to the end of their own simulated existences. THE DATE is a tender and thought-provoking short film about the illusion of connection, the beauty of imperfection, and the enduring power of genuine human emotion.
