Key facts
- Amazon dropped 'Artificial', directed by Luca Guadagnino, about Sam Altman
- Film was nearly finished when it was pulled
- Amazon has a major investment and partnership with OpenAI
- Decision raises concerns about media independence and corporate AI ties
Variety reports that Amazon has dropped 'Artificial', a feature film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Luca Guadagnino that centred on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, after Amazon's parent company entered into a significant investment and partnership with OpenAI. The film was described as nearly finished at the time it was pulled, making the decision all the more striking.
Guadagnino is one of contemporary cinema's most celebrated directors, known for films such as 'Call Me by Your Name' and 'Challengers'. The shelving of a near-complete film by such a prominent director is unusual and immediately drew attention to the timing: Amazon's deepening financial relationship with OpenAI appears to have made a film scrutinising the company's CEO an uncomfortable proposition for the studio.
The episode highlights a tension that is growing sharper as major technology companies pour billions into AI firms while also owning vast media and entertainment assets. For observers tracking AI's broader societal footprint, the story underscores how corporate AI investments can ripple outward to shape what stories get told — and which ones get quietly shelved.