Luca Guadagnino says AI is ‘changing the identity of the world’ after Amazon drops 'Artificial'

Guadagnino said that he believes the technology represents one of the defining issues of the modern era

Luca Guadagnino has shared his thoughts on the rapid rise of artificial intelligence following Amazon MGM Studios' decision to drop his upcoming OpenAI-inspired film Artificial, saying AI is fundamentally "changing the identity of the world."

Speaking at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy, the acclaimed director declined to comment directly on Amazon's decision to part ways with Artificial, explaining that he could not discuss the matter because negotiations over the film's future are still ongoing.

"I cannot talk about it because we are right in the middle of this situation," Guadagnino said when asked about the project's uncertain fate.

Although he avoided discussing the film itself, the Call Me by Your Name filmmaker reflected on the broader impact of artificial intelligence, describing it as a force that is reshaping society.

"AI is changing the identity of the world," Guadagnino said, adding that he believes the technology represents one of the defining issues of the modern era.

The comments come just days after Amazon MGM Studios dropped Artificial, despite the film reportedly being nearly complete. The drama, written by Simon Rich, stars Andrew Garfield as OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and centres on the dramatic events surrounding Altman's brief dismissal and reinstatement at OpenAI in 2023.

Following Amazon's exit, several major studios, including Netflix, A24 and Focus Features, have reportedly passed on acquiring the film. Independent distributor Mubi is understood to be among the companies interested in giving the project a theatrical release.

Artificial also features Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov, Cooper Hoffman, Cooper Koch, Jason Schwartzman, Billie Lourd, Chris O'Dowd, Zosia Mamet, Mark Rylance and Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk. The film reportedly had a production budget of around $40 million.

While the future of Artificial remains uncertain, Guadagnino's latest remarks suggest he remains focused on the wider conversation surrounding AI rather than the controversy surrounding his film. "We're living through an extraordinary transformation," the director indicated, as the industry continues to grapple with the technology's growing influence.