Transcendent Man (2009)

Directed by

Barry Ptolemy

Genre

independent film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 23m

Rated

NR

Rating

6.7 of 10 from 42 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This documentary follows inventor Ray Kurzweil as he explains his predictions about technology merging with humanity. It examines his ideas on artificial intelligence, genetics, and robotics leading to a future where humans and machines combine.

thought-provokingspeculativecontemplativeinformativefuture-focusedintellectualmeasuredoptimistic

What happens

Transcendent Man is a 2009 documentary film by American filmmaker Barry Ptolemy about inventor, futurist and author Ray Kurzweil and his predictions about the future of technology in his 2005 book, The Singularity is Near. In the film, Ptolemy follows Kurzweil around his world as he discusses his thoughts on the technological singularity, a proposed advancement that will occur sometime in the 21st century when progress in artificial intelligence, genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics will result in the creation of a human-machine civilization. William Morris Endeavor distributed the film partnership with Ptolemaic Productions and Therapy Studios, using an original model involving a nationwide screening tour of the film (featuring Q&A sessions with Ptolemy and Kurzweil), as well as separate digital and DVD releases. The film was also released on iTunes and On-Demand on March 1, 2011, and on DVD on May 24, 2011. The film debuted for the first public screening at the Time-Life Building in New York City on February 3, 2011. The same week, Time ran the Singularity cover story by Lev Grossman, with coverage about Kurzweil's ideas and the concepts, citing Transcendent Man. Kurzweil toured the film, appearing on Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, Bloomberg News, and Charlie Rose. Additionally, Kurzweil went on to discuss the film on The Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Real Time with Bill Maher. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

More like this

• Plug & Pray (2010)
• Ghost in the Machine (2026)
• The Singularity (2012)
• The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (2026)
• 2B (2009)
• Machine of Human Dreams (2016)
• Artificial Immortality (2021)
• Speaking in Code (2009)