In The Mitchells vs. the Machines, the AI that launches the robot uprising is PAL.
PAL is a digital assistant created by technology entrepreneur Mark Bowman. After Bowman replaces PAL with a newer product, the AI turns against humanity and uses connected machines to begin a worldwide takeover.
PAL appears through devices such as phones and smart speakers before controlling a wide range of robots. Her plan turns ordinary consumer technology into the film’s main threat, while the Mitchell family becomes an accidental group of survivors.
The film’s title refers to the human family opposing the machines, not to a robot named Mitchell. PAL is voiced by Olivia Colman in the English version. The animated feature was produced by Sony Pictures Animation and released in 2021.