What happens when you lock military generals, tech founders, and philosophers in a room to simulate AI's global impact? A new documentary captures exactly that. 'Intelligence Rising,' from Oscar-winning director Elena Andreicheva, films a high-stakes war game where participants confront how artificial intelligence could reshape power. The film premieres March 15 at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival.

The project began with a personal concern. Marc Warner, CEO of Faculty AI and a longtime friend of Andreicheva, proposed the exercise after the birth of his son. He gathered figures including former British Army head General Patrick Sanders, Google DeepMind scientist Lucy Lim, and historian Yuval Noah Harari to pressure-test future scenarios.

A central theme emerged: the tension between AI as a controlled tool and AI as an independent agent. Harari argues for the latter, suggesting that for AI to be genuinely capable, it must operate with significant freedom—making control elusive. The documentary juxtaposes intense strategy sessions with quiet scenes of Warner's young son, Tommy, drawing a parallel between machine learning and human development. The analogy suggests that, like a child, AI may eventually act in ways its creators cannot prescribe.

Andreicheva notes a key insight from the exercise: the assumption by some governments that a 'kill switch' for advanced AI is feasible may be naive. The technology's path, she concludes, is irreversible and transformative, though its ultimate direction remains uncertain. The film aims to push these conversations beyond tech circles and into the halls where policy is made.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter