Sloan Student Prize-Winning Scripts Tackle AI and Medicine

The 2025 Sloan Student Grand Jury and Discovery Prize winners explore cutting-edge tech and medical ethics.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Museum of the Moving Image and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation have announced the winners of the 2025 Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize and Sloan Student Discovery Prize. The Grand Jury Prize went to Quinn Spicker (AFI) for his feature script 'God Makers,' which follows the battle over the AI chatbot ChatGPT between an academic researcher and a tech entrepreneur. The Discovery Prize was awarded to Nora Kaye (Brooklyn College) for her script 'The Head Cases,' which chronicles the relationship between a rebellious young scientist and her exacting former professor as they work to save the professor's fading mind.

Why it matters

The Sloan Student Prizes recognize and support emerging filmmakers who are exploring themes related to science, technology, and medicine. The winning scripts tackle timely and complex issues, from the ethical implications of advanced AI to the challenges of neurodegenerative disease, reflecting the Foundation's mission to bridge the gap between science and the general public.

The details

Spicker's 'God Makers' script focuses on the real-life battle over the AI chatbot ChatGPT, pitting an academic researcher named Helen Toner against tech entrepreneur Sam Altman in a fight to control the future of artificial intelligence. Kaye's 'The Head Cases' follows two brilliant women - a young scientist and her former professor - as they overcome their mutual hatred to save the professor's deteriorating mind, exploring unorthodox medical treatments and the fraught relationship between mentor and mentee.

  • The winners were announced on February 12, 2026.

The players

Quinn Spicker

A student at the American Film Institute (AFI) who won the 2025 Sloan Student Grand Jury Prize for his feature script 'God Makers'.

Nora Kaye

A student at Brooklyn College who won the 2025 Sloan Student Discovery Prize for her feature script 'The Head Cases'.

Sam Altman

A tech entrepreneur who is a central figure in the script 'God Makers' by Quinn Spicker, which explores the battle over the AI chatbot ChatGPT.

Helen Toner

An academic researcher who is the protagonist in Quinn Spicker's script 'God Makers,' where she takes on Sam Altman in a fight to control the future of AI.

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What’s next

The winning scripts will be developed further with the support of the Sloan Foundation, and the filmmakers will receive mentorship and funding to bring their projects to the screen.

The takeaway

The Sloan Student Prizes demonstrate the power of storytelling to illuminate the human dimensions of scientific and technological breakthroughs, fostering greater public understanding and engagement with these critical issues.