Deepfaking Sam Altman

Director Adam Bhala Lough sets out to better understand the technology and people at the center of the AI boom. His quest sends him on a path towards the father of AI, OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman. When he isn’t able to sit down with Altman himself, Adam travels to India to create an AI version of him to interview instead.

Sam Bot is a new kind of documentary subject and collaborator, who challenges Adam in surprising and hilarious ways. Together, Adam and Sam Bot explore what it means to be alive, create art, and understand each other in an increasingly artificial world. Hartbeat partners with Vox Media Studios and Lough for this documentary based on reporting from New York Magazine.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.

photo of Adam Bhala Lough

Credits

Director:

Adam Bhala Lough

Executive Producer:

Adam Bhala Lough, Elizabeth Weil, Mark Olsen, Marina Stadler, Dana Olkkonen, Scoop Wasserstein, Christian Vazquez (Co-Executive Producer)

Producer:

Kevin Hart, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Bryan Smiley, Harlod Berón III

Screenwriter:

N/A

Cinematographer:

Chris Messina

Editor:

Alex Mackenzie

Production Designer:

N/A

Sound Designer:

N/A

Music:

N/A

Principal Cast:

Adam Bhala Lough, Christian Vazquez, Kara Swisher, Devi Singh

Contact

Distributor:

Jeff Clanagan
jeff@hartbeat.com

Public Film Contact:

Dezmon Gilmore
Hartbeat
dezmon@hartbeat.com

Publicity Contact:

Hartbeat PR
hartbeat@metropublicrelations.com
803-524-7671

Sales Agent:

Travis Tammero
UTA

Primary Access
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Secondary Access
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About
Year:
2025
Premiere Status:
Genres:
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Country:
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Runtime:
103 mins