New documentary The AI Doc premieres at Sundance, opens March 27

In short: A new documentary called "The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist" premiered at Sundance and will open in US theaters on March 27, 2026.

What happened

"The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist" is a 2026 American documentary co-directed by Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2026, in the festival’s "Premieres" section.

Focus Features is scheduled to release the film in US theaters on March 27, 2026. Focus Features bought the worldwide rights in October 2024, and Universal Pictures will handle international distribution.

The film follows Roher, who previously directed the Oscar-winning documentary "Navalny" (2022). In the movie, he speaks with AI experts while thinking about what today’s AI boom could mean for his future child.

The documentary focuses on "generative AI," which is the kind of AI that can create new text, images, or video (like a super fast autocomplete that can write whole paragraphs or draw pictures). It includes both scary warnings, such as AI contributing to major global conflicts or even human extinction, and hopeful ideas, like helping with medical research and climate work.

The film is produced by teams linked to "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and "Navalny." Early critic reaction appears mixed, with a Metacritic score of 51 out of 100 based on four reviews.

Why it matters

Many people feel confused by generative AI and the loud debate around it. This film tries to make that debate easier to follow by showing real conversations with experts, through the eyes of a parent who has to think about long-term risks and benefits.

Source: The Verge AI