Hollywood is changing its view of prominent figures in the tech industry. People like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman, once seen as symbols of innovation and progress, are now portrayed more than ever as controversial and even threatening characters; a shift that reflects growing public concern about artificial intelligence, concentration of wealth and the power of big tech companies.
For years, founders of major tech companies were often depicted in Hollywood films as ambitious geniuses who, despite personal flaws, managed to transform the world. But it seems that this image is changing and filmmakers are paying more attention to the darker aspects of these individuals' power and influence.
In new narratives, tech executives and founders are no longer merely successful entrepreneurs; sometimes they are introduced as figures whose economic and technological ambitions can have worrying consequences for society.
Four prominent tech figures at the center of Hollywood's attention
This shift in approach can be seen in four films and documentaries that focus on the lives and activities of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman and Elizabeth Holmes.
One of these works is the film "The Social Reckoning," which once again turns to Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. Inspired by the controversies around Facebook's internal disclosures in 2021, this film presents a darker picture of the company's power and performance.
On the other hand, the documentary "Musk" examines the rise of Elon Musk and his becoming one of the most influential figures in the tech industry.
The film "You Can See Everything" also follows the life of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, in the period before her imprisonment. Holmes, who was once one of Silicon Valley's celebrated figures, became one of the most famous examples of a tech entrepreneur's fall after the disclosure of false claims about her company's blood-testing technology.
The fourth work is the film "Artificial," which tells the story of Sam Altman and the competition over developing artificial intelligence. The main axis of this film is the struggle over control of a powerful technology that could affect the future of humanity.
These works, despite differences in subject and storytelling style, share one feature: a focus on the consequences of the vast power concentrated in the hands of a limited number of tech executives.
The end of the Silicon Valley heroes era
Hollywood's changing view of tech billionaires also reflects a transformation in the public's attitude toward the tech industry.
In the past, the success of major tech companies was often associated with concepts like creativity, innovation and improving people's lives. The founders of these companies were presented as people who, with bold ideas, managed to transform traditional industries.
But the expansion of digital platforms' influence, the growing economic power of big companies and concerns about the social consequences of technology have largely affected this positive image.
Margaret O'Mara, a historian and scholar of Silicon Valley history at the University of Washington, likens this change to a romantic relationship that, despite initial passion, ended quickly.
This analogy suggests that the broad admiration for the tech industry in past years has given way to doubts about the leaders' aims and performance.
Concerns about artificial intelligence and the power of social networks
One of the main factors changing public opinion is rising concern about the consequences of the spread of artificial intelligence and social networks. Rapid advances in AI have raised questions about the future of employment, information security, surveillance by technology and the amount of power held by the companies that develop these systems.
At the same time, the role of social networks in spreading misinformation, intensifying political divisions and influencing public opinion has become a contentious issue.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, about two thirds of Americans believe social media has harmed democracy.
Such concerns have made the public image of tech executives more complex. People who were once admired for their ability to create innovative products now face questions about social responsibility, transparency and the consequences of their decisions.
Why have tech billionaires become attractive to Hollywood?
Tech founders, from a storytelling perspective, have traits that make them suitable characters for drama, thriller and documentary films.
On the one hand, their vast wealth and economic influence recall powerful figures who might be swayed by ambition and greed. On the other hand, their work in advanced technologies evokes images of scientists who push the boundaries of science without sufficient attention to ethical consequences.
The combination of these two traits, along with some of these executives' unconventional personalities and ambitious goals, provides fertile ground for cinematic narratives.
For this reason, the life stories of prominent Silicon Valley figures are no longer just tales of economic success and innovation; they can become stories about power, competition, accountability and the consequences of individual decisions.
Hollywood as a mirror of America's new anxieties
According to ITNA quoting Axios, the increased presence of tech billionaires as negative or controversial cinematic characters is not merely the result of changing filmmakers' tastes, but a reflection of broader shifts in American society's view of the tech industry.
In conditions where a significant portion of economic and technological power is concentrated in the hands of a few companies and executives, concerns about the impact of their decisions on people's lives and social institutions have also grown.
O'Mara, describing this situation, points to the effect of immense wealth on people's behavior; wealth that, she says, can turn its owners into odd and unconventional characters.
Overall, it seems Hollywood is moving away from an image that portrayed tech billionaires as the unchallenged heroes of the digital age. Now the same people who were once symbols of a bright, technological future have become figures whose power and ambition can serve as the basis for troubling narratives about society's future.