C1286 words2:03News Report American AccentPublished Jun 1, 2026 · Updated Jun 1, 2026

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Director Valerie Veatch's latest documentary, Ghost in the Machine, examines how artificial intelligence is deeply intertwined with rightwing ideology, eugenics, and race politics.

Veatch, who previously garnered acclaim for documentaries exploring the intersection of internet subcultures and real-world consequences, has turned her attention to a far more expansive subject.

The film argues that AI's intellectual lineage is inseparable from troubling historical movements that sought to classify and rank human beings.

The documentary features a remarkable cast of historical figures, from Victorian-era British eugenicist Francis Galton to Silicon Valley pioneer and overt racist William Shockley.

Contemporary tech moguls, including Elon Musk, also come under scrutiny in the film.

Had the production timeline permitted, the documentary might well have incorporated the recent legal dispute between Musk and his former associate Sam Altman, which has captivated the technology world.

While the film is largely polemic in its approach, guiding viewers towards AI-sceptical conclusions through a series of persuasive soundbites, it nonetheless functions as an accessible primer on the subject.

The interviewees constitute an eclectic cohort, ranging from philosopher Johnathan Flowers, who succinctly questions whether humanity genuinely needs AI, to linguist Emily M Bender, who elucidates the origins of contemporary language models.

Not only does the documentary challenge the prevailing narrative of technological inevitability, but it also invites audiences to reconsider who truly benefits from the current AI boom.

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Veatch's documentary arrives at a particularly pertinent moment, as the stock-market valuations of a handful of AI-driven companies continue to soar towards unprecedented heights.

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Critics have cautioned that such inflated valuations may constitute a speculative bubble, yet investor enthusiasm remains largely undiminished.

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should society embrace a technology whose philosophical foundations are rooted in ideologies that most people would find deeply repugnant?

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Ghost in the Machine review – entertaining AI polemic dives into its dark history in race...

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