Gibney’s Unflinching Look at Musk | Durham News

0:00It's September 8th from your city to your ears. This is Durham News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story. Filmmaker Alex Gibney dropped a new documentary called Musk at the Venice Film Festival, and it's stirring up a lot of talk. The film, which clocks in at almost four hours, dives deep into Elon Musk's life from his childhood to his current ventures. Gibney intentionally used an avatar for Musk in the film, a move he says highlights the contrast between Musk's public narrative and the reality of his actions. The documentary doesn't shy away from controversy. It touches on Musk's acquisition of X, formerly Twitter, and how Gibney believes the platform's algorithms were manipulated. According to the film, these changes were made to boost hateful content and suppress mainstream journalism, amplifying more extreme voices instead of fostering open discussion. This approach has drawn strong reactions. One person interviewed who claimed she was offered $40 million not to speak, believes Musk is deliberately creating division that could have.

1:06Serious consequences, if not controlled. She also sued Musk's AI company earlier this year, alleging its chatbot generated exploitative deep fake images of her. The film also explores Musk's connections to politics, including his work with the Second Donald Trump administration and his involvement in international right-wing movements. Gibney mentioned the film's scope expanded significantly after Musk became involved with Trump's campaign, turning what was meant to be a shorter. Project into a much more extensive look at his influence. Musk features interviews with a range of figures, including Tesla co-founder, Martin Everhard, Musk's first wife, Justine, neurologist Sam Harris, and Tech reporter Cara Swisher. The documentary aims to present a comprehensive, albeit critical, portrait of one of the most influential figures in modern technology and business.