The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

The blog was co-authored by Nexus Team Members: Rina (blog lead), Elvin, Casey, Jonathan

The Learning & Teaching Nexus Team at NYU SPS recently watched The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptomist, a 2026 documentary directed by Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell. In this post we share a collection of individual reflections on the film and perspectives on the impact of generative AI (GenAI) on teaching and learning.

Casey

The juxtaposition posed by The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist between apocalypse and optimism about the unknown future captures how I feel about the future of education. Predictions of either doom or utopia, however, seem futile. The way we will truly understand the capability and impact of AI on education is by engaging with it. 

My background in learning design began in a San Francisco EdTech startup. We used generative AI tech to develop spoken language feedback, analyze grammar errors, and coach pronunciation for tens of thousands of students. Prior to this, I was an adjunct professor at San Francisco State University giving feedback, analyzing grammar errors and coaching pronunciation with a smaller, more personal impact on dozens of students. My hope is that the disruption AI causes can push us out of anachronistic models of higher education which are already under scrutiny. Perhaps we can then harness these tools to improve learning and teaching for both students and teachers. 

Additionally, how can we as a society create accountability and direction before another generation of young people shoulders the pitfalls and predations of Silicon Valley innovators? A recent lawsuit held social media companies liable for harmful, addictive products targeted toward minors. Many thought leaders and venture investors behind the social media giants are the same ones behind the emerging AI giants. Judging by history, we should treat their companies, products, and words with a healthy dose of skepticism. While the impact of generative AI is to be seen, the figures steering it require more scrutiny and interrogation than The AI Doc provides. 

Elvin 

From my perspective, “The AI Doc” works as a clear reality check on where we are with AI. By following Daniel Roher’s experience of becoming a parent, it grounds a complex topic in a simple question: what kind of world are we building? The film’s access to leaders like Sam Altman and Dario Amodei is where it lands. When pressed, they describe these systems as something they are “growing,” not fully programming, which points to a level of unpredictability that challenges the idea that safeguards can be added later.

The tone is direct and aligns with a broader pattern in tech: release now, address risks later. The film also makes clear that even if one company slows down, others may not, which limits how much caution can realistically shape the pace of development. What stays with me is how this connects to teaching. Alongside using these tools, there is a growing need to help students question them and understand the tradeoffs behind how they are built.

This review was developed using GenAI and reviewed and edited by a human.

Jonathan

The A.I. Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist offers a thoughtful and accessible look at the current conversation around artificial intelligence. It does a solid job of addressing many of the questions and concerns people have about data privacy and environmental impact. The film also stands out for presenting perspectives from both skeptics and optimists, giving viewers a balanced view of AI’s potential benefits—such as innovation and efficiency—alongside its risks. This dual approach makes the documentary engaging and informative, especially for audiences trying to make sense of an increasingly complex topic.

That said, the film feels somewhat incomplete in its exploration of AI’s long-term economic impact. While it acknowledges uncertainty about the future, it stops short of seriously examining the possibility of widespread job displacement and its consequences for the global economy. Additionally, the pro-AI viewpoint is somewhat undermined by the heavy presence of CEOs from AI companies, which can make parts of the documentary feel more like a sales pitch than an objective analysis. A broader range of voices—particularly from workers or economists—would have strengthened its credibility and depth.

This review was developed using GenAI and reviewed and edited by a human.

Rina

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist prompted me to reflect on my role in shaping AI and its effect on education, and on our world.

The film opens with a guiding concern for the impact of AI on children in our next generation. Interviews with AI experts, risk advisors, and company founders were an even mix of doom and excitement: “AI will replace playful childhoods and our jobs” versus “AI will positively transform healthcare.” 

To me, the unpredictable benefits and consequences of unregulated AI are no surprise. Look at handheld technology like smartphones and social media: We stayed connected through a global pandemic, order dinners, and crowdfund for worthy causes, and we see consequences like device addiction, bullying, and suicide. AI tools might support human expertise ranging from healthcare to aviation, but it risks cognitive atrophy, renders human creatives out of work, and gives young people irreversibly destructive advice. 

My identity—woman of color, former teacher, professional learning designer—felt especially salient as I watched interviews with male CEOs amassing profits in a global race. Pushing wealthy businessmen to consider our children’s futures felt morally correct in the film, but it did not address their ironclad goal of speed and greed.

Though I wish the film left me with clear solutions, I did walk away with validation of how much I already know about generative AI by reading about it and engaging with it. It also illuminated how much my voice matters. I’m committed to speaking up not just for the planet and kids someday, but for all of us, tomorrow.

Team Takeaways

The Nexus team discussed our collective takeaways and lingering questions from the film.

Overall, The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist addressed a topic impacting every sector across the globe. It is a useful starting point for putting faces to the names behind AI technology. The film also acknowledges that the release of a GPT in 2018 did not include clear direction or regulation, and outlines the resulting challenges and possibilities that continue to evolve.

We were left wondering, “What root problem is AI trying to solve?” While various risks and beneficial uses were acknowledged—health scanning technology, job automation, writing emails for us—it is not clear if there was a unique problem that generative AI sought to address (other than saving companies money and time). We also were interested in the impact of AI on the planet as well as on mental health, which were cursory in the documentary.

Our team will continue reading, researching, and evaluating the costs and benefits of AI tools as we engage with them, voicing our ideas as we collectively shape the way forward.