Andrew Garfield leads Artificial.

Film explores Sam Altman’s tumultuous journey at OpenAI.

The upcoming drama Artificial has unveiled its first trailer, introducing Andrew Garfield as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Simon Rich, the film dramatizes the meteoric rise of ChatGPT and the corporate upheaval that followed, offering a cinematic lens on one of the most turbulent chapters in the tech world.

Garfield’s portrayal captures Altman’s ambitious vision for artificial intelligence and the ethical dilemmas unleashed by ChatGPT’s release. In the trailer, Altman reflects on the technology’s consequences, remarking that it has “opened Pandora’s box.” The film traces events in November 2023, when OpenAI’s board abruptly removed Altman as CEO over concerns about his communication. His ouster was short-lived, however, as Mira Muratiplayed by Monica Barbaro- briefly stepped in as interim chief before Altman’s swift reinstatement.

The ensemble cast adds further intrigue. Yura Borisov, known for Anora, joins the project alongside Ike Barinholtz, who portrays Elon Musk, one of OpenAI’s co-founders. Cooper Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, and Mark Rylance round out the supporting cast, bringing depth to the dramatization of Silicon Valley’s power struggles.

Guadagnino, acclaimed for films such as Challengers and After the Hunt, collaborates with Rich, a former Saturday Night Live writer, to balance corporate drama with human emotion. Together, they craft a story that examines not only the technological revolution but also the personal and organizational conflicts behind it.

Set against the backdrop of innovation and controversy, Artificial promises to be more than a biographical retelling. It positions itself as a cautionary tale about ambition, disruption, and the unforeseen consequences of unleashing transformative technology.

The film will premiere at the New York Film Festival in October before its theatrical release on December 25, making it one of the year’s most anticipated explorations of the intersection between technology and human ambition.