NS Film Discussion Club "The Thinking Game"
NS Film Discussion Club: The Thinking Game
Join us for a screening of The Thinking Game, Google DeepMind's documentary chronicling the quest to build artificial general intelligence.
Format:
Pre-film intro (10 min) - Brief context and themes to watch for
Screening (~90 min)
Post-film discussion - Open conversation about the ideas, implications, and connections
Ongoing discussion - Continue the conversation in our Discord channel #ns-film-discussion-club
About the Film: Follow Demis Hassabis and the DeepMind team from beating world champions at Go to solving the 50-year-old protein folding problem with AlphaFold. The documentary captures pivotal moments: Move 37, China's "Sputnik moment," the decision to release 200 million protein structures to the world for free, and the team grappling with what it means to build systems that could "divide human history into two parts."
Whether you're bullish, skeptical, or simply curious about where AI is heading, this film offers a rare inside look at the people building it—and the weight of responsibility they carry.
"It's just a good thinking game." — Demis Hassabis, age 8
Key Ideas for Introducing the Film
Before we start, a few threads to follow:
Games as proving grounds - Notice how chess → Atari → Go → StarCraft → protein folding forms a progression. What makes games useful training environments for AI? What are the limits?
The moment of release - Watch for the scene where Hassabis decides to release all protein structures for free rather than create a paid service. What does this tell us about the economics of AI research?
Science vs. spectacle - The HackerNews discussion debates whether entertainment uses of AI (image/video gen) are "a complete waste" vs. essential stepping stones. As you watch, consider: what's the real value being created here?
The Oppenheimer parallel - The film draws comparisons to the Manhattan Project. Hassabis says the scientists "did not think carefully enough about the morals of what they were doing early enough." Is DeepMind doing better?
Optimization vs. intelligence - One critic called AlphaFold "optimization, not thinking." The film is titled "The Thinking Game." Who's right? Does it matter?
Discussion prompt to hold: If you received an email saying a superior intelligence is arriving soon, how would you prepare?
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