TICKETS $15

Doors 6:30 p.m.; Event 7 p.m.
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THE EXPERIENCE

Coming off its electrifying Sundance screening, we are happy to present the latest documentary from Valerie Veatch, Ghost in the Machine, a gripping and urgently relevant investigative documentary that exposes the buried history of artificial intelligence, not as a neutral system of algorithms, but as a technology shaped by racism, misogyny, eugenics, and entrenched structures of power long before it entered everyday life. Following the screening, a panel consisting of creatives, AI engineers, and researchers moderated by Ned Hayes, CEO of Human Intelligence, will take place. 

ON SCREEN: Ghost in the Machine

2026. Directed by Valerie Veatch. Runtime: 96 minutes.

Ghost in the Machine is a gripping and urgently relevant investigative documentary that exposes the buried history of artificial intelligence, not as a neutral system of algorithms, but as a technology shaped by racism, misogyny, eugenics, and entrenched structures of power long before it entered everyday life. Rejecting the notion of AI as inevitable or objective, the film traces how myths of progress and efficiency have obscured deeper political and cultural agendas, revealing the ideological foundations beneath the systems now reshaping modern society.

Structured as an eight-chapter inquiry, the film blends historical excavation with contemporary analysis to confront essential questions: who built these systems, whose values they encode, and who they benefit. Directed by Valerie Veatch, whose Sundance-premiering films Me @ The Zoo (HBO) and Love Child (HBO) examined how emerging technologies transform identity, power, and culture, Ghost in the Machine employs a bold yet accessible cinematic approach that is as unsettling as it is illuminating, offering a visceral understanding of a technology that now touches nearly every aspect of modern life.

This is not a film about machines. It is a film about power. Ghost in the Machine interrogates who builds AI, who benefits from it, and who bears the cost.

ON STAGE: Panelists

Ned Hayes (Moderator) – Ned Hayes is the co-founder of Human Intelligence, the authentication and IP protection system for genuine human creators. He is an experienced technology executive who has led teams at Intel, Microsoft, Adobe and Xerox PARC/SRI. He is also a bestselling novelist, writer, and journalist who works with human and AI teams around the world to foreground the rights of human creators.

David Cress (Panelist) – David Cress is a Portland producer whose work has helped shape the region’s film and television landscape. He has produced acclaimed projects including Portlandia, Shrill, and Documentary Now!, and brings a longtime Oregon film-community perspective to conversations about storytelling, production, and the future of creative work.

Hazel Rickard, PhD (Panelist)  – Hazel Rickard is a musician, artist, and scholar whose work bridges performance, creative practice, and critical thought. She brings an interdisciplinary perspective to questions of authorship, artistic meaning, and the role of human creativity in cultural life.

Jack Phan (Panelist) – Jack Phan is the Executive Director of the Oregon AI Accelerator, where he works at the intersection of emerging technology, entrepreneurship, and human-centered innovation. He brings a practical perspective on how AI is being developed, funded, and applied in the real world.

Delfina Homen (panelist) – Delfina Homen is a partner at Miller Nash whose practice focuses on intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, trade secrets, and unfair competition. Her work brings a powerful legal perspective to questions of creative rights, authorship, and protection in the age of AI. 

Note: We do not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, and films exhibited don’t necessarily reflect the views of PAM CUT, the Tomorrow Theater, or the Portland Art Museum. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on sites like Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com.