The AI Doc trailer shows Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and AI experts debating humanity's precarious future

Daniel Roher Film Explores the Future of AI Through Personal Lens

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist presents a deeply personal exploration of artificial intelligence as Academy Award-winning director Daniel Roher confronts an urgent question: Is now even a good time to bring a child into the world? 1

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The AI documentary, co-directed with Charlie Tyrell, follows Roher as he falls in love, gets married, and prepares to welcome a baby while grappling with the weight of a future shaped by AI technology. 2

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The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and hits theaters from Focus Features on March 27. 2

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Sam Altman Interview and Leading AI CEOs Weigh In

The documentary features candid conversations with the most influential figures shaping artificial intelligence today. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appears prominently, and when Roher asks him to promise that AI "is gonna go well," Altman's response is stark: "That is impossible." 1

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The film also includes interviews with Google DeepMind CEO and co-founder Demis Hassabis and Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei, representing what some call AI accelerationists who push the technology forward. 1

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These leaders sit across from Roher to discuss what's next for the technology and whether humanity can navigate its rapid development safely. 2

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AI Doomers and Accelerationists Present Contrasting Visions

The documentary doesn't shy away from the darkest warnings about the risks of artificial intelligence. Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, co-founders of the Center for Humane Technology, represent the AI doomers perspective. In one chilling moment from the trailer, Harris tells a shocked Roher: "I know people who work on AI risk who don't expect their children to make it to high school." 1

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Raskin goes further, comparing the threat of AI to global nuclear war. 1

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The film also features Dan Hendrycks, Center for AI Safety director, and other experts who warn about the potential for "abrupt extermination" of humanity. 2

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Impact of AI on Humanity Examined Through Innovative Storytelling

The AI Doc isn't just a series of talking heads discussing the future of AI. The film employs a kaleidoscope of visual techniques including stop-motion animation, colorful sketches drawn by Roher himself, archival news clips, and cinematography that deliberately shows the lights and cameras in full view. 2

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This hyper-paced approach helps explain complex stories and anecdotes about artificial intelligence while maintaining engagement. The documentary does highlight AI's benefits, particularly in research applications, but maintains a cautionary message about what can feel like a runaway train. 1

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Fittingly, Daniel Kwan, co-writer and co-director of Everything Everywhere All at Once and co-founder of Creators Coalition on AI, serves as a producer, bringing his expertise on how AI can be ethically incorporated into filmmaking. 1

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The film arrives at SXSW before its theatrical release, positioning itself as essential viewing for anyone trying to understand whether artificial intelligence represents humanity's greatest promise or its final peril.