Review: The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

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Official synopsis: A father-to-be (Daniel Roher) tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity.

The Sundance Film Festival is always a good place to start when looking for new documentaries to follow throughout the year. This one in particular had quite a few good reviews after leaving the festival, but even I was surprised to see my theater actually opening it this weekend. I rarely see our big chain theater open documentaries, so I immediately wanted to support it.

Of course I was the only one in the theater but hey! I did my part! The same team that brings us the AI Doc also brought us the Oscar winning Navalny. The production value is very good and leans heavily into the art that director/subject Roher makes. His drawings fill the screen in between talking heads, and he gets quite a few of those.

The doc starts with the AI doomers, then the AI enthusiasts, then the big CEOs of some of these companies (minus two very well-known douchebags) Then it brings in those who meet in the middle. Who understands there's a lot of things we should be afraid of about AI, but that there are things it's going to help as well. I think the doc does a good job of presenting all sides of the AI debate. There are some who will say they didn't go hard enough on the CEO's, but I don't think that was ever in the realm of possibility to get these people to participate. 

I do appreciate that this documentary ends with actionable steps. It shares a QR code and this website for you to stay involved. Personally, I don't think this changed my personal stance on AI. I think it can do a lot of good in certain areas of the world, but that there needs to be strict legislation around it and it shouldn't be taking human jobs. But I thankfully didn't leave it completely depressed which is what I worried about going.

I imagine some streaming service will pick this up and make it more accessible, and I hope you watch it when it does, if your theater didn't get it this weekend.

Grade: B

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