Intermedial and theatrical perspectives of AI: Re-framing the Turing test.

This article examines artificial intelligence (AI) through the lens of media ecology and theatre performance, proposing a re-framing of the Turing test—originally termed the "Imitation Game" by Alan Turing—as a form of theatrical make-believe involving impersonation and personification. It compares AI, particularly chatterbots, to theatrical paradigms such as puppet theatre and the use of masks, highlighting the performative and intermedial nature of human–machine interaction. The analysis employs Elleström's media modalities model to explore AI's material, spatiotemporal, sensorial, and semiotic dimensions, drawing analogies between AI's programmed agency and theatrical roles like actors, puppeteers, and spectators. The article also discusses philosophical and ethical implications, including the mind–body split, the alignment problem, and the evolving understanding of intelligence and agency in AI, emphasizing that AI's integration into daily life transforms social and cultural environments in ways comparable to historical media shifts.