Artificial Early Reviews Praise Andrew Garfield’s Sam Altman Performance
Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, starring Andrew Garfield as Sam Altman, has received mostly positive early reviews after its New York Film Festival premiere, with critics praising its dark take on AI and Silicon Valley.
Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, a drama inspired by the rise of OpenAI and its leadership struggles, has received largely positive early reactions after premiering at the New York Film Festival. Critics have particularly highlighted Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Sam Altman.
The film stars Garfield as Altman and Yura Borisov as OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, with Monica Barbaro, Mark Rylance and Ike Barinholtz also appearing. Set around the events surrounding Altman’s 2023 removal and return as OpenAI CEO, the story also examines the broader tensions surrounding AI development.
Several critics have called the film provocative, unsettling and highly relevant, with comparisons to The Social Network. Garfield’s performance has been singled out for capturing both Altman’s charm and the darker aspects of the character.
The response, however, is not unanimous. Some reviews have criticised the screenplay for offering limited insight into the people behind the technology, while others found the film’s satire overly blunt.
Artificial is scheduled to release in US cinemas on December 25, 2026.
Hollywood has officially decided that Silicon Valley drama now deserves its own cinematic universe. AI really does get everything.
