LOS ANGELES, April 28 — The third season of Westworld is drawing to a conclusion, as humans and androids struggle against a protectionist AI system with worldwide influence.

Westworld Season 3 is hurtling towards an ending via May 3’s final episode, Chaos Theory.

It’s the first season to take place outside a theme park populated by robotic actors.

Now that park androids have been able to gain sentience and stage a breakout, questions of artificial intelligence and human independence have gained a new urgency.

The final episode is shaping up as a face-off between park escapee Delores and her human collaborator Caleb, and those supporting Rehoboam, an incredibly powerful predictive AI that is supposed to protect humanity from self-destruction; it does so through widespread, microtargeted manipulation.

Season 3 of Westworld debuted mid-March, its eight-episode length two shorter than seasons 1 and 2.

Series regulars Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton, Tessa Thompson and Ed Harris were joined by newcomers Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), French actor Vincent Cassel (Ocean’s Thirteen), Lena Waithe (Ready Player One) and musician Scott Mescudi.

HBO, its commissioning network, announced that the show had been renewed for a fourth run-out just last week, and the series as a whole is thought to have a six-season plan in place.

However, Season 3 viewing figures appear to be down on preceding seasons.

Its first two outings peaked in the US with live audiences of over 2 million, while Season 3 is yet to pass the 1 million viewer milestone. — AFP-Relaxnews