The X-Files, AI, and Me: A Web Nerd’s Perspective

Let’s just get this out of the way: I’m a massive horror and sci-fi nerd — and a web nerd. Dangerous combo.

I probably watched The X-Files way too young. 

Our babysitter at the time (shoutout to Helena, wherever you are) was too scared to watch it alone. 

Instead of sending my sister and me to bed on time like my parents requested, she let us stay up and watch it with her — as long as we promised not to tell Mum and Dad. 

We didn’t.

And there began a lifelong love of all things spooky and strange.

Recently, I started re-watching the series (still holds up), and I found myself looking at it through a new lens — that of a proper grown-up working in the world of tech and web stuff. 

What struck me is how spot-on some of those 90s fears and predictions were. The show often hinted at internet paranoia, digital surveillance, and rogue tech long before they were as familiar as they are now.

I recently watched the episode “Kill Switch” (Season 5, Episode 11 —it’s fun, give it a go if you haven’t seen it!). It’s all about artificial intelligence before AI became the buzzword it is now.

A genius programmer creates a learning AI that goes rogue. Naturally, Mulder and Scully are called in when things get weird (and by weird, I mean disappearing humans, VR nightmares, and, of course, an encrypted CD that can shut it all down — standard X-Files fare!).

The whole plot is completely over the top, but it got me thinking: the public fear around AI hasn’t changed that much. 

Sure, we’re using it more — I use AI regularly as a sort of digital editor — but the uncanny valley feeling is still there.

Recently, I fed a personal story (I write for fun as well as business) into an AI tool as part of writing a short film. 

It guessed my personality (and my ex’s!) with eerie accuracy. Honestly? It creeped me out. There's something about a machine understanding intimate human stuff that feels… off.

AI is helpful — no doubt. Especially for tasks like polishing work copy or speeding up edits.

But here’s my main takeaway: 

It should never replace human voice, tone, or storytelling, whether thats personal or brand. I always start with something written by a human (me), and then let AI help smooth it out. But I go back through and inject the heart and personality in again. It’s like putting soul back into the machine.

So yeah, the X-Files may have had its cheesy moments (and VR karate Scully in that episode, what a legend), but it nailed one thing: if we’re not careful, tech can run away from us. 

That’s why we still need the “Lone Gunmen” (again, watch the X-Files if you haven't heard of these guys - a great geeky web trio!) of the web world — the curious, cautious, and slightly paranoid nerds — to keep things in check.

Stay curious. Stay skeptical. Stay human.