The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist
The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is an upcoming American documentary film directed by Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell. It is produced by the Academy Award-winning teams behind Everything Everywhere All at Once and Navalny.
The film is scheduled to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2026, followed by a theatrical release in the United States on March 27, 2026, by Focus Features.
Premise
Told through the perspective of filmmaker Daniel Roher as he prepares to become a father, the film investigates the existential threats and potential promises of artificial intelligence. Roher conducts interviews with leading experts in the field to understand the world his child will inherit, balancing anxiety with "apocaloptimism."Production
The documentary is co-directed by Daniel Roher, who previously won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for Navalny, and Charlie Tyrell, known for his Oscar-shortlisted short My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes.The production brings together two high-profile filmmaking teams: Roher's collaborators Shane Boris and Diane Becker, and Everything Everywhere All at Once filmmakers Daniel Kwan and Jonathan Wang.
In October 2024, Focus Features acquired worldwide rights to the film, with its parent Universal Pictures handling international distribution.
Release
The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist was selected for the "Premieres" section at the Sundance Film Festival, where it will debut on January 27, 2026.It is scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters by Focus Features on March 27, 2026.