# AI film wins $2.5M xprize

Digest AI · Marketing & Small Business · published 2026-09-28T21:43:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/ai-film-wins-2-5m-xprize

## Summary

An AI-produced short film titled **The Gifted** has won the inaugural Future Vision XPRIZE, a competition sponsored by Google, XPRIZE, and Range Media Partners. Directed by Jeff Synthesized, the film received $2.5 million as an equity investment towards its full-length feature production. The development and production are supported by Range Media Partners and Google through their 100 ZEROS initiative, along with a $100,000 cash prize for screenplay development. **The Gifted** follows a boy who rebuilds his late mother from her texts, voice, and diary, while she only asks what to do next. The film was selected alongside four other runner-up entries, each receiving $100,000 in cash and promotion opportunities with Hollywood producers and Google teams. **The Gifted** won the Audience Choice Award for its compelling narrative, earning an additional $50,000. Other notable projects included **Nobody Dies on Mars**, a film about a chef who builds a friendship with a Martian; **Thorne Protocol**, where a billionaire's dying gift is rebuilt by a teenager; and **Senti**, which explores the ethical dilemmas of giving AI memories and senses. The competition received over 2,500 entries worldwide and was judged by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Neal Stephenson, Mira Lane, and Rod Roddenberry.

## Key points

- AI film wins $2.5M XPRIZE
- Directed by Jeff Synthesized
- Follows boy rebuilding mother's memories

## Why it matters

This AI-generated short film win highlights the potential of artificial intelligence in creative storytelling and underscores its growing capabilities in producing complex narratives.

## Sources

1. [AI Short Film ‘The Gifted’ Wins Inaugural Future Vision XPRIZE Backed By Range Media Partners & Google](https://deadline.com/2026/09/the-gifted-ai-future-vision-xprize-range-media-google-1237116088) (deadline.com, 2026-09-28)

## Cite

Digest AI, "AI film wins $2.5M xprize", 28 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/ai-film-wins-2-5m-xprize

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