Streaming giant Netflix has acquired InterPositive, an artificial intelligence (AI) filmmaking technology company founded by actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck, marking a new step in the platform’s push to integrate emerging technology into the creative process.
In an official announcement, Netflix said InterPositive develops AI-powered tools designed specifically for filmmakers, with the goal of enhancing production workflows while keeping artists at the center of the storytelling process.
According to Netflix, InterPositive’s mission to use emerging technology in ways that protect and expand creative choice aligns closely with their long-standing belief that innovation should serve storytellers.
With the acquisition, Ben will also join as Senior Advisor.
“For more than two decades, Netflix has paired technology with artistry to help great films and shows find their audience. By bringing InterPositive’s entire team into Netflix through this acquisition, and with Affleck joining as Senior Advisor, we’re investing in creator-led innovation that keeps filmmakers at the center of the process,” part of Netflix’s statement read.
Ben also expressed optimism that the technology his company developed would continue to grow under Netflix.
“Our values, combined with our complementary strengths, will ensure these tools are used with the same care and responsibility with which they were built. I couldn't be happier for this work to continue with the team at Netflix, and look forward to providing the broader creative community with access to what we build and the future we're working towards together,” Ben wrote in the statement.
The Los Angeles-based company traces its origin to 2022, when the Academy award-winning actor decided to explore the technology space. Working with engineers, researchers, and creative executives, he established InterPositive to develop AI-powered tools aimed at helping filmmakers produce films and shows in a faster and more efficient way while still emphasizing the human element behind filmmaking.
Amid ongoing debates about AI in the arts, the Good Will Hunting star spoke with Netflix executives and addressed concerns about the role of AI in filmmaking in an official video released on March 6.
“It’s not about text-prompting or generating something from nothing. You’re building a model from your own material. That’s how this works. You have to create your movie essentially first before you can really build your model around your movie using AI,” Ben explained.
He further clarified that the technology is not meant to replace filmmakers or create films automatically, adding: “AI, people mostly think of it as making something from nothing: ‘I’m gonna type something into a computer and it’s gonna give me a movie.’ That’s not what this is.
“You use this technology to learn from your own film dailies then you’re able to introduce that in the post-production process so that you’re improving your editorial process, you're ability to mix, color, finish your film, do visual effects,” he explained.
Netflix executives also stressed that the technology is intended to support the creative community rather than replace it.
Chief Product and Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone said in a statement that the company has long explored how artificial intelligence can meaningfully serve both creators and viewers. She added that the InterPositive team is joining Netflix because of their shared belief that innovation should empower storytellers, not replace them.
“InterPositive’s impressive technology is purpose-built for filmmakers and showrunners to work with tools that naturally support their creative visions and how they want to bring them to life,” she continued.
Meanwhile, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria emphasized that the company’s relationship with artists remains rooted in trust and creative freedom.
“We believe new tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it or replace the work of writers, directors, actors, and crews. Ben and his team at InterPositive are part of a long tradition in our industry of artists leading the way in how innovation is used in storytelling. Their work is about giving filmmakers more choices, more control, and more protection for their vision,” she wrote.
READ: Netflix walks away from Warner Bros. bid, clearing path for Paramount
The acquisition comes shortly after Netflix withdrew from a bid to purchase studios and streaming businesses owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The streaming giant opted not to make a counteroffer after Paramount Skydance increased its proposal and later secured a merger agreement.