Alex Gibney's Elon Musk documentary goes for the jugular in these 3 scenes

In an era erstwhile documentaries astir celebrated group tin beryllium as ray and sweet arsenic the snacks you eat while watching them, Alex Gibney is going against the grain. His new documentary, "Musk," which premiered astatine Venice Film Festival connected Sept. 8, proves there's still room for hard-hitting investigative docs successful Hollywood — arsenic agelong arsenic you're consenting to beryllium done its astir four-hour runtime.

From tackling Scientology successful "Going Clear" to Theranos' Elizabeth Holmes successful "The Inventor," Gibney has ne'er backed distant from a thorny topic. With "Musk," the Oscar-winning filmmaker pulls nary punches, coating a thorough image of the man who turned companies for illustration Tesla and SpaceX into family names.

The doc, which traces Musk's life from 20-something Silicon Valley start-up entrepreneur to becoming President Donald Trump's right-hand man during his 2nd term, has ignited the ire of its taxable since it was announced successful 2023. At the time, Musk called the movie a "hit piece" connected X, to which Gibney responded, "How would you know?" The 2 person been locked successful an online conflict ever since.

Although Musk did not beryllium down for an question and reply for "Musk," that didn't extremity Gibney from getting his taxable connected camera — benignant of.

Thanks to the ingenuity of Gibney's squad and the magic of AI, the documentary features a Musk avatar who's been trained connected each disposable interviews the mogul has given. Avatar-Musk shows up passim to remark connected everything from why he believes we're each surviving successful a simulation to his obsession pinch going to Mars.

It's a cheeky deployment of emerging exertion astatine the CEO's expense. But it's not the only conception that paints Musk successful an unflattering light.

Business Insider screened "Musk" the time it premiered astatine the Venice Film Festival. Here are 3 times Gibney goes aft Musk hard.

Business Insider reached retired to Musk for remark connected the documentary, but did not person a response.

The failures of Tesla's self-driving characteristic Autopilot are backmost successful the spotlight

The documentary delves into really Musk sewage progressive successful Tesla and turned it into a rate cattle erstwhile the institution went public. It besides explores the darker broadside of Tesla's Autopilot, a self-driving characteristic that has been astatine the halfway of respective lawsuits.

In the doc, Gibney contrasts a 2016 video released by Tesla that depicts the conveyance arsenic afloat self-driving pinch dash-cam footage from a deadly 2019 clang successful which a car utilizing Tesla's Autopilot characteristic killed 1 and earnestly injured different successful Key Largo, Florida.

After a Russian hacker was capable to retrieve cardinal clang information Tesla had said it could not entree (yes, really), a assemblage ruled that Tesla was partially liable for the clang and responsible for $243 cardinal successful punitive and compensatory damages. Tesla is appealing.

While the communicative has been reported earlier by outlets including Business Insider, its retelling to a larger assemblage successful Gibney's doc isn't going to amended cognition of the Tesla brand.

The 'Godfather of AI' says he's worried Musk could rig an election

Trump and Musk person described DOGE arsenic a measurement to overhaul the national authorities and slash spending. Tech reporters from Wired and The Wall Street Journal show Gibney that Musk's clip moving connected DOGE besides gave him entree to each American's individual information.

Geoffrey Hinton, the "Godfather of AI" and a friend-turned-frenemy of Musk's, says he thinks Musk is up to thing nefarious. He tells Gibney successful the documentary that he believes Musk will usage that accusation to corrupt the upcoming midterm elections.

"If you wanted to corrupt the midterm elections and you wanted to usage AI, each you needed to do was get elaborate accusation connected US citizens," Hinton says successful "Musk." "And what DOGE did looked for illustration conscionable what you would do."

Hinton does not elaborate further, but Gibney wonders successful a voiceover: Is Musk "trying to link america aliases power us?"

A erstwhile occurrence reveals the NDA position she declined and Musk's desire for a 'legion of children'

The documentary besides delves into Musk's individual life, specifically his galore children, 14 of whom are publically known. While Musk's first wife, Justine, appears successful the doc, the existent prima is influencer Ashley St. Clair, who gave commencement to 1 of his sons successful 2024.

St. Clair says successful the doc that the 2 connected aft Musk began pursuing her connected societal media and would connection her saying she should person much children. St. Clair says successful the doc that erstwhile their narration went southbound and aft giving commencement to Musk's child, she was offered $15 cardinal up beforehand and $100,000 per month over 21 years if she signed an NDA. She refused.

St. Clair besides recalled that 1 nighttime she was pinch Musk successful furniture and he was listening to a podcast astir Kublai Khan, a descendant of Genghis Khan who had astatine slightest 47 children.

She besides said that Musk erstwhile texted her that he needed a "legion of children earlier the civilian war."

St. Clair claims she wasn't the only 1 Musk reached retired to connected societal media successful hopes of procreating.

It's a "Gatling weapon of sperm connected his DMs," she told Gibney.

Musk did not respond to a petition for remark connected the documentary. But connected Tuesday, erstwhile Katie Miller, the onetime communications head for DOGE, called the doc "fictional" and "a deed occupation by a self-obsessed Hollywood director," Musk replied pinch 1 word: "Exactly."

"Musk" opens successful theaters October 16.