Andrew Garfield says OpenAI film 'Artificial' turns lens on creators of 'new world'

Actor Andrew Garfield's portrayal of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in the film "Artificial" drew from a combination of curiosity and fear, as he sought to understand the individuals driving the development of artificial intelligence. The two-decade-long narrative chronicles OpenAI's inception, growth, and the tumultuous events leading to Altman's 2023 firing and subsequent return.

Garfield explained that he was drawn to the film's exploration of the courage, imagination, and resilience of those at the helm of these companies, who endure relentless criticism and intense scrutiny. The actor, who previously worked on Facebook's origin story in 2010's "The Social Network," did not communicate with Altman prior to his role.

OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs appeared before an Australian AI probe. Garfield acknowledged not knowing Altman personally, but expressed compassion for someone his age and the shared experience of being the subject of a film about their work. The screenplay was written by Emmy-winning "Saturday Night Live" writer Simon Rich, and the film stars Yura Borisov as OpenAI co-founder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, who resigned amid Altman's firing.

Mark Rylance plays Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "Godfather of AI," and Ike Barinholtz portrays Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Monica Barbaro portrays former OpenAI technology chief Mira Murati. The film's release aligns with growing concerns surrounding OpenAI and Anthropic, as recent incidents have raised fears of rogue AI systems potentially exceeding human control.