Amazon Producing a $40 Million Film Focusing on the Safety Concerns Surrounding OpenAI and ChatGPT
In the world of cinematic drama, the AI era is proving to be a fertile ground for compelling stories. One such film is "Artificial," a $40 million feature film being produced by Amazon MGM Studios for Prime Video. The movie, directed by the acclaimed Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and scripted by Simon Rich, promises to be a comedic drama set in the world of artificial intelligence.
The main characters in "Artificial" are based on real-life figures from the tech world. Andrew Garfield, known for his role as Spiderman in The Amazing Spiderman, will portray Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, a company valued at an estimated $300 billion. Garfield's Altman is depicted as a power-hungry figure entangled in Silicon Valley's greed and personal rivalries.
Ilya Sutskever, the Israeli machine learning engineer and co-founder of OpenAI, is played by Yura Borisov. Sutskever's story in the film centres heavily on his idealism and experiences of being marginalized and betrayed within the company.
Monica Barbaro, who has previously appeared in shows like Station 19, is also among the pivotal cast, though her specific role has not been detailed in the available information.
Elon Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, appears as a minor but influential character in the film. He is described as both comic relief and a corporate villain.
The narrative of "Artificial" unfolds against the backdrop of the sudden and shocking firing of Sam Altman in 2023, an event that sent shockwaves through the tech world. The firing took place over one sleepless Thanksgiving weekend, after which Altman was rehired five days later.
The film's production is expected to take place in San Francisco and Italy. Rehearsals have recently begun, with an anticipated release in 2026.
Interestingly, Amazon was one of the founding investors of OpenAI, alongside other tech luminaries. Today, Anthropic, a rival to OpenAI, is reported to be valued at $61.5 billion, while OpenAI remains a nonprofit and hasn't been able to go public yet.
The events surrounding the firing of Sam Altman were closely followed by the tech world, with a group of reporters providing blow-by-blow coverage. It was later revealed that Tasha McCauley, who is married to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, was part of the coup to fire Altman, allegedly over safety concerns.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who happens to be well-suited to play Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear, who also briefly served as OpenAI's Interim CEO, is under consideration for the movie. Mira Murati, another former OpenAI executive who took the helm as Interim CEO after Altman's firing and later left to found Thinking Machines Lab, has been cast as Monica Barbaro in the film. Thinking Machines Lab just closed a record $2 billion seed round and is currently valued at $10 billion.
As the release of "Artificial" approaches, the tech world eagerly awaits a depiction of the rise and fall of one of its most prominent companies, and the complex dynamics, ethical tensions, and personal rivalries that underpin it.
The film "Artificial," set to be released on Prime Video, weaves a narrative around real-life tech figures, with Andrew Garfield portraying Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, a company heavily invested in by Amazon. The movie's plot delves into the technology and artificial intelligence landscape, offering a humorous yet critical look at the Silicon Valley scene and the power struggles that ensue.
