Amazon has dropped out of the movie project ‘Artificial’, a film centered on Sam Altman’s brief removal as CEO of OpenAI last year. The decision comes just months after the tech giant invested $50 billion in the AI company.
Why Amazon exited the project
The film, which had been in early development, was set to dramatize the chaotic days in November 2023 when OpenAI’s board fired Altman, only to reinstate him days later. Amazon’s involvement would have put it in the unusual position of financing a story about a company it now holds a major financial stake in. People familiar with the matter said the conflict of interest became too difficult to ignore.
A complicated relationship
Amazon’s $50 billion investment in OpenAI, announced earlier this year, gives the e-commerce giant a significant say in the company’s direction. But backing a film that could portray OpenAI’s internal turmoil — and Altman’s role in it — risked undermining the partnership. The move to exit the project spares Amazon from having to choose between creative independence and corporate loyalty.
What the film would have covered
‘Artificial’ was expected to explore the power struggle inside OpenAI, including the board’s controversial decision to oust Altman and the employee revolt that followed. The film’s title appears to be a play on both artificial intelligence and the manufactured drama that unfolded. No director or lead actor had been publicly attached.
What’s next for the project
Producers are now searching for a new studio to finance ‘Artificial’. Whether any major studio will step in — and risk alienating Amazon, a growing force in AI — remains an open question. For now, the film’s fate is as uncertain as the events it hoped to capture.
