Amazon MGM Studios shelves Luca Guadagnino film Artificial over OpenAI ties

Amazon MGM Studios shelved the $40 million dark drama Artificial due to business ties with OpenAI, leaving distributor Neon to step in for its world premiere at the New York Film Festival. Italian director Luca Guadagnino directed the production, which traces the meteoric rise and transformation of the artificial intelligence startup.

Amazon MGM Studios Shelves Artificial Due to OpenAI Ties

Executive decisions at Amazon MGM Studios kept the production off the schedule because of extensive business connections with OpenAI and its chief executive officer, Sam Altman. Major studios including Netflix, A24, and Focus Features also avoided the explosive project. American distributor Neon rescued the film by acquiring its distribution rights and securing an invitation for its world premiere at the New York Film Festival.

Yura Borisov Stars as Ilya Sutskever in Guadagnino Feature

The film focuses heavily on Ilya Sutskever, portrayed by actor Yura Borisov. The character is depicted as an ambitious young genius and programmer who grows up in Jerusalem after immigrating to Israel before moving to Canada. Sutskever begins his journey in the computer laboratory of Professor Geoffrey Hinton at the University of Toronto, where the aging academic is played by Mark Rylance.

Sam Altman and Elon Musk Portrayed as Tech Figures

Sam Altman serves as the primary villain in the feature, played by Andrew Garfield, while Elon Musk is depicted as a clown played by Ike Barinholtz. The narrative portrays Altman as a single-minded entrepreneur who lies constantly and manipulates board members and the market to seize control of OpenAI. Dario Amodei, played by Will Angus, leaves the company to establish rival firm Anthropic after concluding OpenAI lost its moral compass.