How ‘You Can See Everything’ Turns Hollywood’s Attention Back on Big Tech
Hollywood is taking a fresh look at Silicon Valley, and this time, technology leaders are finding themselves on the receiving end of the criticism.
Several recent documentaries and dramas, including Musk, The Social Reckoning, Artificial and You Can See Everything, explore the influence of powerful technology executives and the consequences of their decisions. Together, these projects suggest that filmmakers are increasingly willing to challenge the people whose products and platforms have transformed everyday life.
The latest release, You Can See Everything, directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, focuses on Elizabeth Holmes, the former Theranos executive whose rise and fall became one of Silicon Valley’s most widely discussed scandals. The film has attracted attention from critics and audiences, adding to a growing collection of screen productions examining the technology industry's most influential personalities.
At the centre of these stories is a familiar type of executive: someone who promises to solve problems, reshape society and build a better future through technology. Yet the films also ask a more difficult question: what happens when ambition and persuasive salesmanship become more important than accountability?
Hollywood Takes on Technology's Most Powerful Figures
Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman have become central figures in conversations about the future of technology. Their companies influence everything from social media and artificial intelligence to communications and global business.
The latest wave of films examines not only how these leaders gained influence but also how they use it.
The documentary Musk, for example, explores the billionaire’s rise, his expanding power and concerns surrounding surveillance and political influence. The Social Reckoning turns its attention to Meta and the ways its platforms can amplify anger and social divisions while generating revenue.
Meanwhile, You Can See Everything revisits the story of Holmes and her husband, Billy Evans, examining the culture of confidence, ambition and persuasion associated with Silicon Valley.
Although their circumstances differ, these stories share a common theme: the gap between the promises made by powerful people and the reality experienced by everyone else.
‘Artificial’ Questions Sam Altman’s Leadership
One of the most closely watched projects in this group is Artificial, directed by Luca Guadagnino and featuring Andrew Garfield.
The film follows Sam Altman's rise at OpenAI, presenting a dramatic account of the company's internal tensions and the competing priorities surrounding artificial intelligence development.
A major part of the story concerns Ilya Sutskever, the influential researcher who helped drive OpenAI's scientific progress. Sutskever was associated with efforts to ensure that advanced AI development remained focused on human safety and responsible practices.
The film examines the tension between those concerns and the push to develop and deploy increasingly powerful AI systems.
For viewers worried about the future of artificial intelligence, this conflict raises important questions about who should control the technology, how its risks should be managed and whether commercial pressure can undermine safety commitments.
The drama also demonstrates how filmmakers can turn complicated debates about technology into stories that audiences can understand on a personal level.
Can Films Change Public Opinion About Big Tech?
These productions are not simply biographies of successful entrepreneurs. They also offer criticism of the systems and business models that have helped technology companies become some of the world's most influential institutions.
Documentaries can investigate decisions and present evidence, while dramatic films can recreate events and explore the motivations behind them. Both approaches can encourage viewers to question familiar narratives about innovation and success.
However, influencing public opinion does not automatically translate into changing corporate behaviour. A film may generate headlines, spark debate and encourage people to reconsider a company without immediately affecting its profits or business strategy.
Even so, public perception matters. Technology companies depend on users, customers, investors and employees, all of whom can be influenced by the way their leaders and products are portrayed.
The films therefore represent a challenge to the industry's carefully managed public image, even if their long-term impact remains uncertain.
Social Media and Technology Companies Face New Scrutiny
The debate has also played out beyond cinema screens.
The source report described disputes over advertising for some of these films on major social media platforms, including X, TikTok, Meta and YouTube. It said some platforms initially rejected advertising for the projects, although Meta and YouTube later changed their positions.
The situation highlights a broader tension: technology companies increasingly control the digital spaces where public debates take place, while filmmakers and journalists depend on those same platforms to reach audiences.
Musk has also faced scrutiny over his influence across technology and geopolitics. Reports concerning SpaceX's Starshield satellite services and Ukraine have raised questions about the power private companies can exercise during international conflicts.
These issues demonstrate how the influence of technology leaders extends beyond the products they sell, reaching into public policy, international affairs and national security.
Storytelling Remains a Powerful Human Skill
One of the strongest messages shared by these films is that human storytelling still has a role that technology cannot easily replace.
As artificial intelligence tools become more capable of generating text, images and video, creative industries are facing questions about employment, originality and the future of professional artists.
Hollywood has been particularly affected by these concerns, with writers, actors and other creative workers debating how AI should be used in production and whether it threatens their livelihoods.
The films offer a reminder that storytelling involves more than producing information or assembling convincing images. It also requires judgment, emotional understanding, interpretation and the ability to make audiences care about the people involved.
In You Can See Everything, Fielder's reactions during interviews reportedly become part of the experience. His expressions of doubt and disbelief help communicate the tension between the people telling their stories and the filmmaker deciding how to present them.
That process illustrates the influence a director can exercise through editing, framing and narrative choices. It also shows why the relationship between a subject and a filmmaker can become complicated when the subject is accustomed to controlling their own public image.
Hollywood Studios Find Common Ground
Another notable development is the way several studios have supported projects critical of the technology industry.
According to the source report, Amazon had initially been associated with the release of Artificial, but the project ultimately moved to Neon. Sony backed The Social Reckoning, HBO released Musk, and A24 brought You Can See Everything to audiences.
Their involvement suggests that studios still see value in stories that challenge powerful industries, even as entertainment companies increasingly operate in a world shaped by technology platforms and artificial intelligence.
The relationships are not always straightforward. Media companies may rely on technology firms for distribution, infrastructure or investment while also producing films that question their influence.
That contradiction reflects the wider difficulty of separating entertainment from the technology companies that now shape how it is created, marketed and consumed.
The Battle Over AI and Creativity Is Far From Over
The arrival of these films does not mean Hollywood has defeated artificial intelligence or resolved the concerns surrounding automation.
AI tools are likely to continue changing how entertainment is produced, while studios and technology companies look for ways to reduce costs and increase output. The effects on creative jobs, working conditions and artistic ownership will depend on decisions that are still unfolding.
Nevertheless, these projects show that filmmakers are not prepared to remain silent about the changes affecting their industry.
By examining the people behind some of the world's most powerful technology companies, they are bringing questions about accountability, ambition and human creativity to a wider audience.
The result is more than a collection of films about famous executives. It is an ongoing debate about who gets to shape the future and whose voices deserve to be heard.
For Hollywood's storytellers, the message is clear: technology may change the way stories are made, but the power to question, challenge and move audiences remains an important part of human creativity.
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