A dramatic new film titled Artificial casts Andrew Garfield as OpenAI leader Sam Altman, with Yura Borisov as Ilya Sutskever, Monica Barbaro as Mira Murati, and Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk; Neon leads the release after a studio shift from Amazon MGM Studios.

The world premiere is slated for the New York Film Festival in October, followed by a December 25 theatrical release.

The film frames Altman with sly, sobering, and timely themes, blending horror, dark humor, and existential urgency to map the AI trajectory and current societal concerns.

Garfield uses a reference framework with political and ethical parallels, and he’s willing to mine the ‘bad parts’ of himself to portray complex leadership figures.

He acknowledges fearing becoming what he portrays, but argues recognizing darker aspects is essential to understand power struggles and ethical lapses in others.

A teaser shows Altman warning about unclosable implications of the group’s work, signaling wide-ranging effects on industries and nations.

Garfield acknowledges Altman’s power and anticipates backlash, stressing caution about portraying a real figure.

The trailer sets a tone that mixes satire with cautionary drama, presenting Altman as conflicted about ambition versus consequences rather than a clear villain or hero.

The trailer leans into a darker, psychologically driven view of AI power and its societal impact beyond a simple tech-advancement narrative.

It leans on a psychological thriller atmosphere in a corporate OpenAI setting, emphasizing Altman’s influence amid broader tech anxieties.

Public discussion has circulated about whether Altman truly has a bunker, reflecting varied interpretations of the term.

Garfield’s experience filming heightened his concerns about technology advancing faster than humanity can grasp, especially amid Hollywood debates on generative AI and creators’ rights.