Need quality leisure time? For a digital specialist aiming to grow professionally and seeking motivation, watching fascinating content about information technologies can be highly beneficial. We've compiled the best videos, series, and documentaries about IT that will be interesting and useful for both junior and experienced IT professionals.
- Code Rush (2000) — A Thematic Documentary Classic of Its Time
- Stories of Ukrainian IT (2023) — The First Documentary About the Development of the IT Industry in Ukraine
- AlphaGo (2017) — A Documentary Exploration of Artificial Intelligence
- AI is Coming. Who Will Win, and Who Will Be Left Jobless? (2024) — An Insightful Video
- GraphQL: The Documentary (2019) — A Story of Software Development
- The First Code (2023) — A Ukrainian Artistic-Documentary Film About IT
- The Age of AI (2019) — A Documentary Series
- Superhuman Artificial Intelligence: How It Works and Where It’s Headed (2023) — A Video by BBC News Ukraine
- Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber (2022) — A Drama Anthology Series
- War Game: The Making of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — A Documentary About the Creation of the Sequel to the Iconic Ukrainian Game
Code Rush (2000) — A Thematic Documentary Classic of Its Time
The events take place in Silicon Valley. The film tells the story of Netscape engineers striving to save the company from disaster. A significant portion of the film focuses on the process of working on the source code for the Mozilla browser, which was due to be completed by March 31, 1998. But here’s the problem: as of March 25, there was no progress.
Will the team manage to finish the project at the last moment? Find out in this film, which feels like a continuous deadline. A must-watch for anyone who wants to experience the atmosphere of developers’ lives in the 1990s, as well as for those who tend to leave tasks until the last minute.
Stories of Ukrainian IT (2023) — The First Documentary About the Development of the IT Industry in Ukraine
The film is dedicated to the 30-year history of Ukraine’s digital sector, from its inception to its evolution into a powerful national industry.
From the film, you will learn:
- When did the first digital technologies appear in Ukraine?
- How is the industry's growth connected to Kyiv’s Petrovka and Karavayevi Dachi markets?
- Is it really possible to become a successful IT specialist after the age of 80?
- How did the problem of a single dog and its owner lead to a globally renowned multi-million-dollar project?
The development of the IT industry is illustrated through the stories of notable figures: Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, SoftServe President Taras Kitsmey, Ajax Systems Founder and CEO Oleksandr Konotopskyi, UNIT.City Founder Vasyl Khmelnytskyi, and others.
Read also: Inventions of Ukrainians in the IT industry
Cityhost can be considered part of the history of Ukrainian IT, as we’ve been operating in the market for nearly 20 years. During this time, we’ve provided affordable hosting, domain registration, and server rentals. Additionally, we’ve developed our own control panel and continuously improve it every year to make it more user-friendly.
AlphaGo (2017) — A Documentary Exploration of Artificial Intelligence
This documentary tells the story of the development of AlphaGo software, created using artificial intelligence technologies by DeepMind Technologies.
The film analyzes how, in a gameplay environment previously considered too complex for a computer, the software managed to surpass one of the world’s best Go players.
The documentary also explores the impact of AlphaGo on the game and its players, capturing their emotional reactions to the AI's abilities. AlphaGo raises ethical and social questions about the limits of artificial intelligence, its influence on humanity, and the future it might shape.
AI is Coming. Who Will Win, and Who Will Be Left Jobless? (2024) — An Insightful Video
This video, published on the YouTube channel “The Last Capitalist”, prepares viewers for the changes brought by the rapid development of artificial intelligence. By watching, you’ll get a glimpse into the future and learn:
- Which professions will need to retrain or adapt, and which specialists are poised for success?
- How will the spread of AI affect the global economy and geopolitical landscape?
- For which countries will technological advancements become a powerful advantage?
This video is an excellent motivator to develop your skills and remain in demand in a world that’s changing at lightning speed.
Read also: Top 10 Ukrainian YouTube channels about IT
GraphQL: The Documentary (2019) — A Story of Software Development
If you’re interested in IT documentaries, this one is a must-watch. It tells the story of former Facebook employees striving to overcome internal API issues.
In 2012, developers Lee Byron, Nick Schrock, and Dan Schafer created software that is now known as GraphQL. The film showcases the development and success of the software, as well as how it has helped solve challenges faced by modern IT giants like Airbnb and Twitter.
The First Code (2023) — A Ukrainian Artistic-Documentary Film About IT
This film offers an overview of the evolution of Ukraine’s digital technology sector. It spans the period from the 1950s to the present day, where the IT field plays an integral role in cyber warfare during the full-scale invasion.
An interesting fact: The First Code is among the first full-length films in the world to feature voice-over performed using artificial intelligence. Only 20% of the dialogues were dubbed by actors, while 80% of the voice work was completed by AI.
The Age of AI (2019) — A Documentary Series
A science documentary series narrated by Robert Downey Jr. The main characters here are real researchers and engineers whose professional activities are to one degree or another related to the development of artificial intelligence.
The series showcases cutting-edge innovations and, through expert interviews in fields like transportation, healthcare, and entertainment, examines both the potential benefits of AI and the ethical issues it raises.
The Age of AI invites viewers to delve into the nuances of the technology, the intricacies of AI development, its interaction with end users, and the prospects of AI applications.
Read also: How to Recognize AI-Generated Text — Tips for Editors and Content Creators
Superhuman Artificial Intelligence: How It Works and Where It’s Headed (2023) — A Video by BBC News Ukraine
In this video, correspondent Oleh Karpiak explores the capabilities of neural networks: how they acquire knowledge, memorize, and reason by analogy, as well as the dangers they pose, particularly if artificial intelligence were to gain consciousness. The video includes an expert’s perspective from an AI researcher and features a short interview conducted by the journalist with ChatGPT.
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber (2022) — A Drama Anthology Series
Want to know how Uber became a global phenomenon? This series, based on New York Times journalist Mike Isaac’s book, focuses on the company’s co-founder and former CEO, Travis Kalanick, and the scandals surrounding the service.
War Game: The Making of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — A Documentary About the Creation of the Sequel to the Iconic Ukrainian Game
This film covers the production of the much-anticipated sequel to the shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. during the full-scale invasion. Directed by Andrew Stephan and Xbox specialists, the documentary highlights the significance of the Chernobyl disaster for Ukrainians and local culture, as well as the impact of wartime realities on the game’s development process.
The film also addresses the issues of hacker attacks and direct threats from Russians targeting the game’s developers. This documentary is a must-watch for game creation professionals, featuring archival footage from GSC Game World employees and interviews with various experts, including programmers, writers, artists, and animators.
Read also: The Weirdest Computer Games of All Time
We hope you’ve found interesting options in our selection for your free time. These IT-themed films are engaging and diverse: informative, motivational, and even educational. They cover many topics relevant to today’s digital professionals.
If you’re feeling unmotivated, seeking inspiration, or looking for new effective solutions, watching the videos and films we recommend might help. Who knows — perhaps your own groundbreaking technologies will soon emerge, changing the world for the better.
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