Marvel Studios Just Made Tony Stark's AI Look Dumb

A new Artificial Intelligence has been introduced into the MCU, and it is far superior to anything Tony Stark invented. Ironheart's Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) is not an exact successor to Stark, but her technological prowess is similar to that of the Iron Man hero. From the start, Stark recruited the help of AI systems like JARVIS to assist his inventions, and Riri followed a similar route with her AI, NATALIE.

When Iron Man introduced JARVIS in 2008 it was the dream AI assistant. The disembodied character (voiced by Paul Bettany) could render models, talk through problems, autonomously pilot the Iron Man suit, and even had a sense of humor. Eventually, JARVIS was enhanced by the Mind Stone and placed into a synthezoid body to become Vision. But this wasn't the only AI Stark created, with FRIDAY replacing JARVIS as the hero's suit interface, and EDITH controlling the Stark Industries network of defence systems. 

However, despite the advancement of these systems, Ironheart's new AI, NATALIE, surpasses them all. 

Like JARVIS and FRIDAY, NATALIE (Neuro Autonomous Technical Assistant and Laboratory Intelligence Entity) is designed by Riri to integrate with her iron suit interface. Just as JARVIS was based on a friend of Tony Stark's (his family butler, Edwin Jarvis), NATALIE is based on Riri's deceased childhood friend, Natalie Washington (Lyric Ross). 

NATALIE has all the same functions as an AI like JARVIS or FRIDAY and can assist Riri with diagnostics, designs, and piloting her suit. But the AI is also significantly more advanced than Stark's tech in several ways.

During NATALIE's creation, it was (accidentally) linked to Riri's memories of her real-life friend, which formed the basis for a more human and emotional AI. Unlike JARVIS, NATALIE can transmit a full 3D human projection of herself from the suit and speak and emote exactly as the real Natalie would. This likeness is so spot on that, at one point, it actually fools Riri's mother, Ronnie (Anji White), into thinking Natalie is alive. 

Because NATALIE has access to memories and videos of the real Natalie, it is also able to replicate the decisions that she would have made, such as talking Riri through breathing exercises when she panics. This level of emotional intelligence has not been seen in any of Tony Stark's AI systems, making NATALIE the most advanced in the MCU yet. 

Ironheart is the last release in the MCU's Phase 5, and all the episodes are now streaming on Disney+. The series was executive produced by Chinaka Hodge and Ryan Coogler and continues the story of Riri Williams, who was first introduced in the MCU in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as she attempts to create her own iconic iron suit. 

Is NATALIE the Smartest AI in the MCU?

Over the years, the MCU has introduced several AI systems beyond Tony Stark's repertoire. 

The Supreme Intelligence in Captain Marvel was the ruler of an entire empire, as it oversaw the Kree and tested Carol Danvers, which led to her eventually destroying it. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law had a comedic take on the AI concept, introducing KEVIN as the creator of the MCU in a fourth wall-breaking moment. Another villainous AI who could rival NATALIE would be Ultron, a rogue peacekeeping AI of Tony Stark's who grants itself a robotic body and attempts to destroy humanity in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

There are many prevalent AI's throughout the MCU, but perhaps none as emotionally deep as NATALIE. However, that may be tested in the upcoming Disney+ series Vision Quest, which follows Bettany's AI-turned-Avenger, Vision, as he attempts to restore his memories. Vision Quest has reportedly already recruited several actors to play the physical embodiments of FRIDAY and EDITH, which could hint at more AI systems getting an upgrade.