Just because there are fantastical elements to these stories doesn't mean their themes can't be poignant examinations of where the real world is headed.

We're not in a giant simulation, but technology is causing people to lose contact with reality, and our lives increasingly become about keeping a giant "machine" running.

We may not have a SkyNet in charge of our nuclear missiles, but should we not be concerned about AI making life-and-death decisions in war?