In 1999, The Matrix introduced audiences to a vision of the future that still captivates 25 years later. Morpheus explains to Neo that humanity’s creation of artificial intelligence led to a machine-dominated world, where humans are unknowingly enslaved within a simulated reality. While our present-day AI is far less cinematic, even today’s “mundane” tools—chatbots, image generators, and virtual assistants—have the power to subtly shape how we perceive reality.