Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film “Artificial” explores the inner workings of the artificial intelligence industry by featuring depictions of some of its most influential figures, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Despite the sensitive subject matter and the real-life stature of those portrayed, the director stated he remains unconcerned about any potential retribution.
The film premiered at the New York Film Festival on Monday. It stars Andrew Garfield as Altman, focusing on the chaotic events of 2023 when the CEO was temporarily removed from and subsequently reinstated to his position. The supporting cast features Yura Borisov, known for his role in “Anora,” as OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever; Monica Barbaro as former CTO Mira Murati; and Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk.
In a recent interview with Vulture, the director behind “Call Me by Your Name” and “Challengers” addressed questions regarding his apprehension toward the reactions of Altman and others in the film. “I don’t know — maybe they love the movie,” Guadagnino said. “I’m not afraid. I think that people that have a lot of power should be very much aware that you must be responsible for the community.”
Guadagnino revealed that he was “indirectly approached” by some of the individuals depicted in the movie, though he declined to specify who contacted him. He confirmed that no engagement took place. As of now, Altman has not issued any public statement regarding the production.
The project underwent a significant distribution shift after Amazon MGM Studios dropped the film following Amazon’s $50 billion investment in OpenAI. Neon subsequently acquired the rights to distribute the movie. When asked about the transition, Guadagnino expressed loyalty to his former studio partners, stating, “I don’t want to get much into that. I love everybody in that company. The people at Amazon are my friends.”
On the broader topic of technology, the director described himself as secular regarding tools that drive change. While he indicated he would not incorporate AI into his own filmmaking process, he rejected the idea of outright prohibition. “I welcome change and I witness change. To go against change, somehow it’s not an appropriate approach. You have to wait and see,” he explained.
Using real people like this raises serious ethical questions about consent and portrayal.
I hope he’s right about them loving it. Otherwise, this movie might disappear entirely.
Andrew Garfield as Altman sounds like a fascinating performance. Can’t wait to see it.
So Amazon dropped it after taking a half-billion into OpenAI? Hypocrisy at its finest.
Guadagnino’s stance is refreshing. Art should hold power accountable, even uncomfortable power.