A Silicon Valley Thriller
The high-speed world of artificial intelligence is hitting the big screen. Luca Guadagnino's latest project, 'Artificial,' chronicles the incredibly consequential days leading up to the sudden firing and reinstatement of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in 2023. With a script penned by 'Saturday Night Live' alum Simon Rich, the film promises an unflinching look at the power dynamics defining the modern AI arms race.
The Cast and The Controversy
Andrew Garfield takes center stage as Sam Altman, leading a star-studded cast that includes Yura Borisov as OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, Monica Barbaro as former CTO Mira Murati, and Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk. The production also features Mark Rylance, who portrays AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton.
- Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman
- Yura Borisov as Ilya Sutskever
- Monica Barbaro as Mira Murati
- Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk
- Mark Rylance as Geoffrey Hinton
The road to production has been anything but smooth. Amazon MGM Studios originally backed the film but dropped it following a $50 billion partnership between Amazon and OpenAI. Neon subsequently picked up the project, pushing it toward a December 25th theatrical release with a clear eye on the upcoming Oscar season.
I don't want to get much into that. I love everybody in that company. The people at Amazon are my friends.
— Luca Guadagnino
Preparing for the Role
To capture the essence of a tech titan, Andrew Garfield reportedly utilized a painstaking research process. Meanwhile, Yura Borisov, who plays the pivotal role of Ilya Sutskever—the man responsible for Altman's initial ousting—revealed that a 'spiritual connection' helped him unlock the complexities of his character, blending crowdsourcing research with classic acting techniques.