Did we just witness another example of a fictional story willing itself into existence? Would GPT-4o have been possible without the film “Her” first raising this fictional issue? One explanation lies in the concept of “hyperstition”.

A “hyperstition” is an idea or belief that becomes real through its influence and capacity for preparedness and permeates human perceptions and behaviour, effectively bringing about its own reality, despite originally being a story or speculation. The term was coined by Nick Land and other members of the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit (CCRU) at the University of Warwick.

In 2013, US director Spike Jonze shocked audiences with “Her”, a film which combined romance and science fiction in a future that for many people was all too familiar. In this story, we follow Theodore, played by Joaquin Phoenix, a man going through a painful divorce who finds solace in an operating system called Samantha.

The plot immerses us in the sentimental relationship between the pair, showing how their connection evolves from mere human-machine interaction to a profound love affair.

What began as a disquieting big-screen story 11 years ago has now become a hyperstitional reality. Yesterday, 13 May, OpenAI presented its most recent development: GPT-4o, an improvement on the artificial intelligence and natural language model that can now handle audio, video and text in real time. This breakthrough represents a major step towards materialising concepts that were once relegated to the realm of science fiction.

By reflecting on the role of films and audiovisual narratives as vehicles for exploring possible futures, it is clear that the line between fiction and reality is becoming increasingly blurred. These stories not only predict but hasten the appearance of certain realities, gearing development towards specific futures at the expense of others.

The announcement of technology such as GPT-4o is a clear example of how what was once speculation is today a reality.