About the Show

A programmer uncovers his algorithm’s role in a sweeping AI surveillance system.

Matthew Libby’s play examines the collision between innovation and oversight in the tech sector, following a young programmer who discovers that an algorithm he created underpins a far-reaching AI surveillance initiative. As he navigates the implications of his work, he confronts the structures, ambitions, and ethical compromises embedded within Silicon Valley. The play situates its narrative amid current debates about data collection and personal privacy, tracing the professional and personal consequences that emerge when he challenges the system built around his code.

Critic Reviews (13)

"Right now, 'Data' feels all-too present, all-too raw and indisputably somber"
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“This moral-dilemma play contains several unexpected twists and turns, including a few that draw audible gasps from the audience.”
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“It’s a correct if obvious idea, here rendered as didactically as if we’re watching a medieval morality play.”
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"Data is essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand the dystopia the AI revolution is leading to, and why it is succeeding"
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"The debuting playwright Matthew Libby invents an all-too-plausible scenario in which the future of American democracy hangs on an algorithm's performance, putting the outcome in the hands of a callow, troubled recent college graduate. Scary enough for you?
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“With Data, Michael Libby has written an unquestionably significant play wrenched not only from today’s headlines but possibly also ripped from headlines heading our way in the frightfully near future.”
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"Data is a serious play but there is humor, almost exclusively in the hands of Jonah who knows his limitations but compensates by taking on the persona of an over-stimulated dude. "
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Techno-thriller that is taken from tomorrow's headlines is one scary trip and very provocative about ICE's next step.
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