Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Esther Martínez Lobato and Álex Pina, Netflix’s ‘Billionaires’ Bunker,’ originally titled ‘El Refugio Atómico,’ tells the story of several billionaires who escape to a luxury underground Bunker to survive an incoming nuclear apocalypse. The heart of the story lies in exploring the internal psyches of the families stranded inside, forced to bear the knowledge of the destruction unfolding right above them. However, the protagonist, Alex, soon grows wary of his surroundings, and the possibility emerges that all is not what it seems. Given that the bunker manages a number of wealthy people all at once, how they are supervised becomes a key point within the narrative, and to that end, Roxan, the AI system, becomes one of its most instrumental elements. The same can be said about Nexusthai, a tech company that quickly grows to take center stage in this Spanish thriller series.
Roxan is a Fictional AI Model That Hides Many Secrets
Roxan is a fictional AI model created by writers Esther Martínez Lobato and Álex Pina. Within the narrative, the model becomes the lifeblood of Minerva’s entire operation, making sure everything runs smoothly. While no one real-life AI system in particular stands out as Roxan’s direct source of inspiration, it is likely that the invention is modelled after a composite of some of the most popular large language models. In particular, various traits displayed by Roxan over the course of the season bear a loose resemblance to the functionalities of AI models such as ChatGPT and Grok, created by OpenAI and xAI, respectively. This includes features such as the system’s ability to analyze a person’s medical symptoms and give them a potential diagnosis, or scour through the internet for the most up-to-date information on a subject.
Notably, Roxan’s ability to observe and learn from a person’s appearance in order to recreate them puts it in proximity with creation software such as Stable Diffusion and Kling, which make use of generative AI. While there are some partial overlaps between these software and the one presented in ‘Billionaires’ Bunker,’ they are broad enough to likely result from coincidence. Given that the technology behind Roxan is far more advanced than its real-life counterpart, it is likely that the creators merely used the established Large Language Models as a reference point and then added their creative touch to the finished product. Notably, there is a real-life AI virtual assistant by the name of Roxxane, and while the names have a significant overlap, their differing functionalities reiterate the fictionality of the series’ AI system.
Nexusthai is a Tech Company Crafted Specifically for Billionaires’ Bunker
Similar to Roxan, Nexusthai is a fictional company that appears in ‘Billionaires’ Bunker.’ The company has an additional layer of context attached to it, as the process of its creation hides a fair share of secrets. As the startup is based in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, some parallels can be drawn with some of the most influential tech startups in Thailand. In particular, it is possible that companies such as DeepPocket and Nestifly, two Finance and Tech-based companies based in Thailand, served as vague reference points for Nexusthai. However, a crucial difference between the two companies lies in the nature of their work, as Nexusthai operates outside of public knowledge, unlike its real-life counterpart. Furthermore, several details of the startup play into the general assumptions about tech companies, which in turn strengthen its constructed nature.
Over the course of the story, Nexusthai joins hands with Falcom & Falcom Enterprises, one of the biggest companies in Spain. Startups being invested in by larger, more influential companies is not an uncommon practice; however, the creators add a unique spin to it. As such, the business deal doubles as one of the most dramatic moments in the show, while also serving as a trip through the hustle and bustle of the city. While the fictional tech startup is not based in reality, it still finds some footing in the urban locales explored in the final episode, which in turn makes the ultimate truth about the company all the more intense.
Read More: Billionaires’ Bunker Ending Explained: Does Max Make it to the Surface?
