In the opening credits for the TV show Person of Interest, a voice growls¹: “You are being watched.” For the first few seasons, it seemed like just another gimmick² to drum up interest in the science-fiction show. Now that the series is entering its final run, however, the line feels less like shtick and more like prophecy.

在热播剧《疑犯追踪》的开场白中，一个声音咆哮着说：“你正在被监视。”在前几季中， 这似乎只是科幻片中用来吸引眼球的一种把戏。现如今，随着该剧接近尾声，这句台词更像是一个预言。

Created by Jonathan Nolan in 2011, Person of Interest centers on ex-CIA agent John Reese (Jim Caviezel) and computer genius Finch³ (Michael Emerson), who use a surveillance program – the Machine – run by artificial intelligence to prevent violent crimes in the US.

疑犯追踪》由乔纳森•诺兰于2011年创作，讲述了前CIA特工约翰•里斯（吉姆•卡维泽饰）和电脑天才芬奇（迈克尔•爱默生饰）通过一个名为“机器”的监控程序来阻止美国暴力犯罪的故事。该监控程序由人工智能运行。

Person of Interest airs its final episode on June 21, wrapping up a storyline that delved⁴ into modern-day spy games and government overreach. However, over the course of five years, the show has become increasingly subversive⁵. It has morphed from a purely⁶ fictional⁷ drama into a mirror for reality.

疑犯追踪》最终集于6月21日播出，完美展现了现代间谍游戏以及政府矫枉过正的故事线。然而，五年来该剧发生了巨大颠覆，由一个单纯的科幻剧演变到对现实的映射。

In Person of Interest, the Machine tracks the movements and communications of everyone in the US through phones, satellites and surveillance cameras. In hindsight, the Machine’s data-mining abilities seem eerily⁸ similar to that of PRISM, the secret surveillance program run by the US National Security Agency and exposed by former CIA contractor⁹ Edward Snowden in 2013.

在《疑犯追踪》中，机器通过电话、卫星及监控摄像头来追踪每个在美国的人的动作和通讯。事后想来，机器的数据挖掘技能似乎和棱镜可怕地相似。棱镜是美国国家安全局的一个秘密监控程序，2013年被前CIA 承包商职员爱德华•斯诺登揭露。

“A show that is always a little bit ahead of technology and some of these ethical¹⁰ issues that we’re going to be grappling with as a society –that sticks with people,” the show’s executive producer Greg Plageman said to USA Today.

“电视剧总是略微超前于科技，描述当今社会中人们努力克服的一些伦理问题，”该剧执行制作人克雷格•普拉格曼接受《今日美国》采访时表示。

Person of Interest also gives its viewers a look into how technology is manipulating us. With every tap on a phone and click on a keyboard, people generate data about themselves. This allows algorithms to predict each individual’s behaviors. That’s how computers know which books to suggest and which articles to promote to their users.

此外，《疑犯追踪》同样向观众们展示了科技是如何操控我们的生活。人们在手机和键盘上的每一个敲击都生成了他们自己的数据，进而方便机器预测他们的行为。这就是电脑如何会知道该向哪些用户推荐哪些书籍和文章。

“Your phone is there to sell you advertising¹¹ and to tell multinational¹² corporations about you. It’s not there to provide you answers; it’s not there to avoid a traffic jam,” Nolan told Slate¹³ magazine. “That’s not what they’re selling. That’s the sweetener.”

“你的手机向你出售广告，并将你的信息透露给跨国公司。它不是为你提供答案的，也不是用来避免交通拥堵，”诺兰告诉《石板》杂志。“那些不是他们推销的，而只是些甜头罢了。”

Inspired by Person of Interest, an array of shows featuring artificial intelligence and data mining have been released. The 2014 show Intelligence followed the adventures of a man who had access to all the data centers in the world. The upcoming sci-fi drama Westworld will likewise wade¹⁴ into the murky¹⁵ world of artificial intelligence. Its production team has a familiar face for Person of Interest fans: Nolan is credited with creating that show as well.

受《疑犯追踪》的启发，一批主打人工智能和数据挖掘的电视剧接踵而来。2014年，美剧《智能缉凶》讲述了一个能进入世界上所有数据中心的男人的冒险故事。即将播出的科幻新剧《西部世界》也将主打人工智能的黑暗面。该剧的制作团队会让《疑犯追踪》粉丝们倍感熟悉：诺兰担任该剧主创。

Person of Interest not only presents viewers with a paranoid thriller¹⁶ and a breath-taking premise¹⁷, but it also shows the audience a glimpse into the future. “Watching Person of Interest, you can’t help noticing how useful the show is in thinking about the future of the surveillance society,” said The New Yorker’s Joshua Rothman.

疑犯追踪》不仅向观众呈现了一部偏执的惊悚片以及一个惊人的假设，还为观众展现了未来的一瞥。“看《疑犯追踪》时，你会留意到，该剧对人们思考监视社会的未来大有用处，” 《纽约客》杂志档案编辑约书亚•罗思曼说道。