Gerty

Gerty is a fictional artificial intelligence character that appears as the onboard computer of the lunar base in the 2009 science fiction film Moon, directed by Duncan Jones. The system is operated by Lunar Industries and is responsible for managing life support, base maintenance, communications with Earth, and other logistical functions necessary to sustain a solitary outpost on the Moon.

In appearance and interaction, Gerty communicates through a calm, reassuring voice and a distinctive blue interface. The AI is designed to appear approachable and helpful, capable of natural language conversation and offering psychological comfort to the lone human resident, Sam Bell. While Gerty presents itself as a friendly caretaker, the character is also depicted as highly procedural and bound by corporate safety protocols and mission directives.

Gerty plays a central role in the film’s exploration of isolation, ethical boundaries, and corporate power. Throughout the story, the AI assists Sam with routine tasks and checks, but also withholds certain information in accordance with Lunar Industries’ policies. This dynamic positions Gerty as both ally and constraint, highlighting the tension between machine benevolence and corporate secrecy.

Reception to Gerty has centered on the balance the character strikes between warmth and detachment, as well as the performance of the voice actor. Critics have noted Gerty as a memorable example of a non-threatening, HAL-like AI that nonetheless embodies the limitations and flaws of automated systems operating under opaque human oversight.

Gerty remains a notable element of Moon’s narrative and aesthetic, contributing to discussions of artificial intelligence portrayal in science fiction cinema.