Deepfaking Sam Altman

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Deepfaking Sam Altman

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1h 36m

Documentary

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93%

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15 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Follow director Adam Bhala Lough as he 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. Heartbeat partners with Vox Media Studios and Lough for this documentary based on reporting from New York Magazine.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

Jan 17

2/4

That 'Deepfaking Sam Altman' is earnest and curious and full of fun thought prompts ultimately makes it more frustrating than a flat-out bad movie would have been.

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Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

Jan 15

Give Bhala Lough credit: His film simultaneously illustrates the deficiencies of generative A.I. and the dangers of investing in it emotionally, while remaining annoying and self-amused in a distinctly human way.

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Adam Schoales

That Shelf

Mar 6

Bhala Lough’s storytelling and his sense of humour make this a must see film, and likely one of the best documentaries you will see this year.

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Edward Douglas

The Weekend Warrior (Substack)

Feb 18

8/10

Lough has created such an interesting and original take on the A.I. phenomenon, not one that necessarily falls on one side of the debate or another

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Ezequiel Boetti

EscribiendoCine

Feb 3

6/10

[Adam Bhala Lough]...and his constant clashes with producers not only add depth but also reveal the anxiety of a filmmaker confronted by a corporate system that becomes inaccessible even to those seeking to question it. [Full review in Spanish]

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Jim Laczkowski

Director's Club

Jan 28

3.5/5

Deepfaking Sam Altman works best as a thought experiment about our relationship with technology and why we’re so eager to embrace new forms of connection, even artificial ones. A compelling conversation stimulator to say the least.

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brews B.

@brewsbrother Jan 31

Sam Altman is a super villain

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jan 21

Real footage in 1 hours and 36 minutes.

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Adam Bhala Lough

Director

Scarlett Johansson

Self

Adam Bhala Lough

Self

Christian Vazquez

Self

Kara Swisher

Self

Devi Singh

Self

Deepfaking Sam Altman: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Follow director Adam Bhala Lough as he 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. Heartbeat partners with Vox Media Studios and Lough for this documentary based on reporting from New York Magazine.

Director: Adam Bhala Lough
Producer: Harold Berón III, Kevin Hart, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Bryan Smiley
Screenwriter: Steven Leckart
Distributor: Abramorama
Production Co: All Facts, Hartbeat, Vox Media Studios
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 16, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 36m