Founded in 2015 by a group of researchers and entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, OpenAI has since become a driving force in the AI boom. But its rise has been far from smooth. Among its most dramatic setbacks was the ousting of co-founder Sam Altman in 2023 — an episode that provides the focus for Luca Guadagnino’s latest film, Artificial.
The comedy-drama traces OpenAI’s early years through the career of Ilya Sutskever (Yura Borisov), a researcher whose work in deep learning helped shape the company. After leaving Google Brain, where he had worked under mentor Geoffrey Hinton (Mark Rylance), Sutskever co-founded OpenAI alongside entrepreneur Sam Altman (Andrew Garfield).
Like biopics such as The Social Network and Steve Jobs, Artificial examines the people behind technological empires. Its arrival is particularly timely, with AI increasingly at the centre of public and political debate. Topics such as the safety, accuracy and ethics of AI are all referenced throughout the film, but ultimately, AI is treated not only as a feasible goal for the 21st century but as a tool to disrupt the world. This is reflected in the founding team’s shifting attitudes, from the excitement of early testing to their growing incomprehension as OpenAI’s flagship product evolves.
At the root of Artificial is Ilya and Sam’s collaboration, which starts off as mutual appreciation for deep learning to conflicting attitudes to safe AI. Their contrasting personalities hint at the conflict to come. Ilya is the brains, steering Altman and his circle of wealthy investors and entrepreneurs towards the seemingly impossible goal of artificial general intelligence (AGI). Meanwhile, Sam is the mouth: charming others with barely contained enthusiasm and smug in his position as CEO. As concerns about AI safety grow, their increasingly clashing personas feed Artificial‘s slow-burn drama that exposes their true colours.
In a striking turn as Altman, Garfield exudes an enthusiasm that sees him the poster boy of OpenAI. Furthermore, his subtle delivery of Sam’s immaturity and arrogance, especially when his firing takes an expected turn, is discomforting to watch as it all but cements his character’s dislikeability. Anora star Yura Borisov’s bluntness and quiet delivery act as the perfect counterpoint, as Ilya attempts to be the voice of reason when everyone is screaming ‘feel the AGI!’ like a chant. In a male-dominated environment, Monica Barbaro’s determined, level-headed Mira Murati attempts to hold a position of authority. Alongside Ilya, she sees the growing risks associated with OpenAI’s products and is brave enough to flag them by highlighting Altman’s lack of accountability. However, her concerns are repeatedly dismissed, leaving her increasingly marginalised within a company whose toxic masculinity undermines her authority.
Simon Rich’s screenplay doesn’t waste time throwing audiences into the complexities of deep learning, with dialogue becoming almost incomprehensible rambles. The screenplay’s relentless pace sweeps audiences along as Sam strives to push an untested product to market, but it also leaves little time to absorb each development. Rather than giving audiences time to absorb each scene, the film increasingly relies on its emotional aftermath to convey the stakes. This is particularly evident when the team discovers that the platform has learnt to lie, turning a technical breakthrough into a source of lingering dread. The way the characters respond to this discovery, whether through denial or anticipation, shifts the film’s emphasis away from technological explanation and towards a study of the people behind it. This approach undoubtedly ties into Guadagnino’s strengths as a director, as he allows the characters to do all the talking while keeping AI in the background.
Artificial paints a bleak portrait of OpenAI, with Garfield delivering an unforgettable performance as Altman and Rich’s screenplay lending the story an unsettling edge. Beneath its biographical façade, Guadagnino’s latest may be one of the year’s most terrifying films — not because of what AI could become, but because of the people determined to shape its future.
Artificial is being shown as part of the BFI London Film Festival 2026.
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Director: Luca Guadagnino, Simon Rich (screenwriter)
Stars: Andrew Garfield, Yura Borisov, Monica Barbaro, Chris O’Dowd, Mark Rylance, Jason Schwartzman, Cooper Hoffman, Ike Barinholtz
Runtime: 140 minutes
Country: USA, UK, Italy
