If you loved
Ex Machina
Alex Garland · Film · 2015
What hooked you in Ex Machina was the unsettling power dynamic between human creators and the sentient beings they attempt to control.
Books on the same thread
The Martian
Andy Weir · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: Techno-Thriller.
Like Ex Machina, this story centers on an isolated protagonist relying entirely on their own intellect and ingenuity to survive a high-stakes experiment where the environment itself is the primary adversary.
All Systems Red
Martha Wells · Book · 2017
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: Techno-thriller.
If the consciousness of Ava fascinated you in Ex Machina, you will appreciate this perspective on sentient AI navigating corporate control while grappling with its own internal sense of autonomy.
Flowers for Algernon
Daniel Keyes · Book · 2004
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: The Nature of Consciousness.
This exploration of intelligence and human experimentation mirrors the ethical dilemmas found in Ex Machina, showing the tragic, psychological consequences when scientific ambition ignores the humanity of its test subjects.
The Maze Runner (Book 1)
James Dashner · Book · 2014
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: Artificial Intelligence.
Much like the manipulated experience of Caleb in Ex Machina, this narrative traps its protagonist in a controlled, mysterious environment where escaping requires solving a puzzle designed by unknown observers.
Series on the same thread
Humans
Jonathan Brackley · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Ex Machina: Technological Singularity, Artificial Intelligence.
This series expands on the core premise of Ex Machina by examining how the integration of highly-developed artificial consciousness into domestic life creates profound ethical dilemmas and shifts in societal power.
Westworld
Jonathan Nolan · Series · 2016
Shares 3 threads with Ex Machina: Artificial Intelligence, Existentialism, Moral Ambiguity.
Fans of Ex Machina will recognize the same focus on the dawn of artificial consciousness and the dark, existential questions that arise when humans play god with sentient, evolving machines.
Mr. Robot
Sam Esmail · Series · 2015
Shares 2 threads with Ex Machina: Techno-thriller, Psychological Thriller.
The psychological intensity and corporate paranoia that define Ex Machina are echoed here as a brilliant, isolated individual uses technology to challenge the powerful figures dictating the terms of reality.
Devs
Alex Garland · Series · 2020
Shares 3 threads with Ex Machina: Technological Singularity, Existentialism, Techno-Thriller.
Directed by the same mind behind Ex Machina, this series masterfully continues the exploration of corporate conspiracy and the heavy, mind-bending consequences of unchecked technological singularity on the human spirit.
Podcasts on the same thread
Lex Fridman Podcast
Lex Fridman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, technological ethics, deep thinking.
If you were left pondering the philosophical implications of the artificial mind in Ex Machina, these long-form discussions provide the intellectual rigor necessary to unpack the future of technological ethics.
The Cast Nexa Show
Cast Nexa · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Ex Machina: Artificial intelligence.
This podcast bridges the gap between the fiction of Ex Machina and our current reality, offering insight into the rapid advancements and industry trends currently shaping the future of AI.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Ex Machina about a coder visiting a CEO?
Yes, Ex Machina follows Caleb, a coder at the world's largest internet company, who wins a competition to spend a week at the private mountain retreat of Nathan, the company's reclusive CEO. The film centers on his interaction with an artificial intelligence during this retreat.
What is the experiment Caleb participates in during Ex Machina?
In Ex Machina, Caleb participates in a strange and fascinating experiment involving the world's first true artificial intelligence. He is tasked with interacting with this AI, which is housed in a physical body, during his stay at the remote mountain retreat owned by the company's CEO.
Where does the story of Ex Machina take place?
The events of Ex Machina occur at a remote, private mountain retreat. This location belongs to Nathan, the reclusive CEO of the world's largest internet company, and serves as the setting for the experiment involving the first true artificial intelligence that Caleb is invited to witness.
Does Ex Machina feature an artificial intelligence?
Yes, Ex Machina centers on the world's first true artificial intelligence. The plot revolves around a coder named Caleb who travels to a private mountain retreat to interact with this AI, which is housed in a physical body, as part of an experiment conducted by the company CEO.