AI-Made Sci-Fi Project The Gifted Wins $2.5M Future Vision XPRIZE

Winner receives $2.5 million in production funding, announced live at Moonshots LIVE

An AI-made science-fiction trailer is getting the chance to become a full-length feature. The Gifted, created by Jeff Synthesized, has won the grand prize in the Future Vision XPRIZE after a competition that organizers say drew more than 2,500 trailer and treatment submissions from around the world.

The project receives a $2.5 million equity investment toward production of the feature film, along with $100,000 for screenplay development. According to the competition announcement, development and production will be supported by Range Media Partners and Google through the 100 ZEROS initiative, while Republic Film plans to launch a public investment campaign connected to the production.

The Gifted follows an 11-year-old boy who attempts to rebuild his late mother from the digital traces she left behind, including her texts, voice and diary. The resulting artificial intelligence begins affecting the world in unexpected ways, giving the story a very human hook inside a premise built around technology, grief and the question of what we leave behind online.

The finalists were screened at Moonshots LIVE in Los Angeles before a judging panel that included astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, novelist Neal Stephenson, Google Vice President of Technology & Society Mira Lane, Salesforce Chief Brand and Creative Officer John Zissimos and Roddenberry Entertainment CEO Rod Roddenberry.

Four runners-up, Nobody Dies on Mars, Thorne Protocol, Senti and Slingshot, each received $100,000. The Gifted also finished first in the publicly voted SPECS Audience Choice Award, earning an additional $50,000.

The announcement is another sign of how quickly generative AI is moving from experimental shorts and proof-of-concept work into conversations about feature-film production. It also raises creative and industry questions around authorship, production practices and the role human filmmakers will have as these tools become more accessible. For now, The Gifted has funding behind it and a feature-length production ahead.

Learn more at futurevisionxprize.com

ABOUT XPRIZE

XPRIZE is the recognized global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. For over 30 years, our unique model has democratized crowd-sourced innovation and scientifically scalable solutions that accelerate a more equitable and abundant future. Donate, learn more, and co-architect a world of abundance with us at xprize.org.

ABOUT FUTURE VISION XPRIZE

Future Vision XPRIZE is a $3.5M+ global film competition about a future worth building toward. Presented by XPRIZE, founded by Peter Diamandis, the competition partners with Range Media Partners and Google through their 100 ZEROS initiative, and Republic Film to bring the winning film to life. Learn more at  futurevisionxprize.com

ABOUT MOONSHOTS

Moonshots is a podcast focused on AI and exponential tech, delivering twice-per week updates on the Singularity. Moonshots LIVE 2026 is the inaugural in-person event, described as the “Oscars for Optimists”.  The event gathers entrepreneurs, builders and creators who are focused on steering the future towards a positive outcome for humanity. The Moonshot Mates include David Blundin, Alex Wissner-Gross, Salim Ismail and Peter Diamandis.