Canadian Premiere
Will Artificial Intelligence change the world on the scale of the Industrial Revolution, or is it an overhyped tech bubble ready to burst? DeepMind cofounder Demis Hassabis is convinced that AI will prove a great leap forward, and he’s dedicated his life to developing responsible AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). The Thinking Game traces Hassabis’ interest in AI from his childhood as an international chess prodigy to his teenage years working on groundbreaking video games, to his graduate work in neuroscience at Cambridge, and eventually, his work with DeepMind, one of the most successful and innovative AI research companies.
Through in-depth interviews, cutting-edge technological demonstrations, and the unrelenting enthusiasm and determination of Hassabis, this follow-up to 2017’s Alpha Go chronicles DeepMind’s successes and failures, from humble beginnings, an AI that could barely play Pong, to one that solved a breakthrough protein-folding problem that could revolutionize biology research. Like Robert Oppenheimer, Hassabis has a single-minded urgency to reshape the world, while knowing that he could be unleashing a devastating new force upon humanity.
Media Partner
USA
2024
English
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Tom Dore, Jonathan Fildes
Producer
Gary Krieg
Cinematography
Greg Kohs
Editor
Steve Sander
Original Music
Dan Deacon
Greg Kohs
Greg Kohs is a ten-time Emmy®-winning filmmaker whose real-as-dirt storytelling has been brought to bear in all his award-winning documentaries, including Song Sung Blue (2008), The Great Alone (2015), AlphaGo (2017), Coin (2022), and latest, The Thinking Game (2024) the story of a visionary scientist’s quest to solve AGI.
Filmography: Song Sung Blue (2008); The Great Alone (2015); AlphaGo (2017); Coin (2022
Insights
See more films in this series
Blink
When their kids start going blind, Edith and Sébastien Pelletier take their family on a globe-trotting adventure to see the world before they lose their sight. An inspirational journey of reflection, self-discovery, and heartwarming family connection.
Balomania
In the labyrinthine underworld of São Paulo, Sissell Morell Dargis spent a decade documenting the story of illegal baloeiros, hot air balloonists, and guerilla artists, who risk their lives crafting and releasing huge, lavishly decorated paper balloons.
Living With Wolves
This fascinating and beautiful doc explores wolf life in the lower Alps, as well as the contentious politics surrounding the animals. As an exploration of ecology, it’s illuminating; as a gander at the great outdoors, it’s delightful.
Unlikely Allies
What does it take to unite right-wing billionaire Charles Koch with hip hop legend Snoop Dogg? This urgent and uplifting film documents an extraordinary response to an appalling injustice: a young man sentenced to 55 years for three marijuana sales.
The Chef & the Daruma
The inventor of the California Roll, chef Hidekazu Tojo helped bring sushi to mainstream popularity through his renowned Vancouver restaurant, Tojo's. The Chef & the Daruma is a mouthwatering film touching on immigration, identity, and reinvention.
Democracy Noir
As Viktor Orbaìn dismantles Hungary’s democratic institutions, three women--a journalist, a politician, and a nurse--work tirelessly to fight for their country’s soul. A chilling exposé of far-right nationalism and an inspirational beacon of resistance.
At Averroes & Rosa Parks
Averroès and Rosa Parks are psychiatric units in Paris supporting patients with mental illness. A powerful, thought-provoking follow-up to 2023 Golden Bear winner On the Adamant by veteran documentarian Nicolas Philibert.
Fish War
This deep dive into the contentious history of fishing rights in Washington State proves richly rewarding. It's a genuinely compelling film about the transformative Boldt decree of 1974, which granted PNW bands equal status in fish management.
Curl Power
This uplifting documentary follows a curling team from Maple Ridge as they navigate the uncertainties of their teenage years and strive to become Canadian Junior Curling Champions with coaching from three of their moms, who are former Olympians.
Searching for Amani
Years after his father's murder while working in Kenya’s largest private wildlife sanctuary, 13-year-old Simon Ali searches for the killers. An unflinching chronicle of postcolonial upheaval and one family’s choice to search for peace.
The Thinking Game
Through in-depth interviews, cutting-edge technological demonstrations, and the unrelenting ambition of Demis Hassabis, The Thinking Game follows innovative AI research company, DeepMind, as it works towards AGI (Artificial General Intelligence).
Ninan Auassat: We, the Children
Shot over six years, this groundbreaking documentary brings us the moving stories of three groups of youth from three different Indigenous nations. With no adult voices included in the film, we meet a new generation with a burning desire to be heard.