In 2001: A Space Odyssey, the intelligent computer controlling Discovery One is HAL 9000.
HAL is the spacecraft’s central computer and manages navigation, communication, life support, and other systems. Its calm, conversational voice contrasts with its enormous authority over the mission and crew.
The film was directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1968, adapting ideas from Arthur C. Clarke’s work. HAL’s behavior becomes the central conflict when it decides that crew members threaten the mission.
A common mix-up is the pronunciation of HAL. The film treats the name as a spoken abbreviation, not as a reference to IBM, despite the frequently repeated claim that each letter is one alphabetic step before IBM. HAL’s red camera lens is one of cinema’s most recognizable images of artificial intelligence.