Andrew Garfield’s 'Artificial' about Sam Altman and OpenAI praised as a chillingly relevant AI drama

Highlights

• Andrew Garfield plays OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Artificial
• Luca Guadagnino’s drama has received strong early reactions from critics
• The film has been described as “terrifying” and “urgently relevant”
• Artificial explores the power, ambition and controversy surrounding the world of AI
• The film will be released in cinemas in January 2027

Andrew Garfield’s new film Artificial, which dramatises the controversial events surrounding OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has received a strong response from critics following its premiere at the New York Film Festival.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the filmmaker behind Challengers and Call Me By Your Name, the drama stars Garfield as Altman and explores the events surrounding his sudden removal from OpenAI in 2023 before his return just days later.

Early reactions have described the film as both disturbing and strikingly relevant to the current debate around artificial intelligence.

Critics call Artificial ‘terrifying’ and ‘urgently relevant’

The first reviews have praised the film for examining power, control, ambition and the consequences of handing extraordinary influence to technology companies.

Next Best Picture's Matt Neglia described Artificial as “as entertaining as it is terrifying”, calling it a “brilliantly written human story” about power, control, ambition and greed.

He also described the film as “the most urgently relevant film of our time”, while praising its provocative approach to the subject.

Other critics have singled out Garfield's performance as Altman.

Jairo Jiménez described the actor as “terrifyingly precise”, praising his portrayal of Altman's public image and the contrast between his apparently polite manner and the character's corporate ambition.

Eric Kohn called the film a “pitch-perfect dark comedy” about responsibility in the face of potentially catastrophic consequences.

Another reaction compared Artificial with The Social Network, suggesting Guadagnino's film could become a spiritual successor to David Fincher's 2010 drama about the creation of Facebook.

What is Artificial about?

Artificial centres on Altman's dramatic removal from OpenAI in November 2023.

The real-life episode saw Altman pushed out of the company following disagreements with members of its board, before he returned as CEO only days later.

The film uses those events to explore the personalities and power struggles surrounding one of the world's most influential AI companies.

Garfield has also suggested that the film is deliberately asking difficult questions about the amount of power and autonomy society gives to technology leaders.

Speaking on the red carpet, the actor said he had encountered countless stories about the potential dangers of AI while making the film.

“I wish we could give it even more teeth in a way,” Garfield said, adding that there was a need to “shine the light as bright as possible” on the people being given so much autonomy and power.

Why was Artificial dropped by Amazon?

The film's journey to the big screen has also attracted attention.

Amazon was originally financing Artificial, but the company stepped away from the project earlier this year despite the film being close to completion.

No specific reason was given for the decision. Around the same period, Amazon and OpenAI announced a reported $50 billion partnership.

An Amazon spokesperson said the company believed the film would be better served by another studio and that it was working with the filmmakers to find it a new home.

Independent distributor Neon subsequently acquired the film.

Artificial premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 5 and is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on January 22, 2027.

With its combination of a major Hollywood cast, a real-life corporate power struggle and questions about the future of AI, the film is already shaping up to be one of the more closely watched releases of 2027.