In a notable move, Netflix has acquired InterPositive, a start-up launched by Ben Affleck that focuses on AI-powered tools for filmmakers.
While the specifics of the acquisition remain confidential, the entire 16-member team from InterPositive, which includes engineers, researchers, and creatives, will integrate into Netflix. Additionally, Affleck will take on the role of senior adviser, offering his expertise and insights.
Traditionally, Netflix has taken a more entrepreneurial approach, but the company views Affleck’s InterPositive as a unique set of AI tools that prioritizes filmmakers in the creative process. Netflix has plans to make these tools available to its creative partners, rather than offering them for sale in the market.
InterPositive, based in Los Angeles and operating in stealth mode since its inception in 2022, does not create generative AI videos like those from OpenAI’s Sora. “It’s not about text prompts or producing something from thin air,” Affleck commented in a video accompanying the acquisition announcement (watch below). “Generally, when people think of AI, they imagine generating something entirely new, like creating a movie from text. That’s not our approach.”
The InterPositive system develops an AI model based on the dailies of a current production. This model allows filmmakers to incorporate it into the postproduction workflow, enabling them to mix and color scenes, relight shots, and add visual effects, according to Affleck.
The news of Netflix’s acquisition comes shortly after the streaming platform decided not to pursue a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery’s studios and streaming operations, choosing not to counter Paramount Skydance’s raised offer of $31 per share.
Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, mentioned that InterPositive’s AI technology will grant partners “more choices, more control, and better protection for their vision.”
Bajaria emphasized, “Our relationship with artists is built on trust: supporting their creative freedom while ensuring they retain control over how their projects are developed. We believe that new tools should enhance creativity, rather than restrict or replace the contributions of writers, directors, actors, and crews. Ben and his team at InterPositive embody a long-standing tradition of artists leading innovation in storytelling. Their work aims to provide filmmakers with greater choices, control, and protection for their artistic visions. We are eager to continue this legacy by placing creators and their artistic intentions at the forefront of everything we do.”
Elizabeth Stone, Netflix’s chief product and technology officer, pointed out that most current generative AI video platforms do not cater to filmmakers’ perspectives. She explained that the InterPositive tools are tailored to help filmmakers produce high-quality content, focusing on creativity rather than speed or cost reduction.
“Our approach to AI has always aimed to genuinely meet the needs of the creative community and our audience,” said Stone. “The InterPositive team joins us due to our mutual belief that innovation should empower storytellers rather than replace them. Their impressive technology is designed specifically for filmmakers and showrunners to support their creative visions effectively. We are excited to welcome the InterPositive team to Netflix and to continue shaping the future of entertainment in a way that integrates technology while keeping human creativity at the heart of storytelling.”
Affleck shared the backstory of InterPositive during this announcement, stating, “In 2022, I observed the initial rise of AI in production. As a filmmaker, I recognized the shortcomings of existing models. To enable artists to craft the stories they are passionate about, these tools must be purpose-built to safeguard the essential qualities that define great storytelling—capturing both the predictable and unpredictable challenges of production environments, as well as the nuances of filmmaking.”
He added, “We also must maintain the humanity in storytelling, which relies on judgment—the kind that takes years to develop, skills to refine, and is uniquely human. I felt a responsibility to my colleagues and our industry to protect the strength of human creativity.”
Affleck explained that InterPositive began compiling a proprietary dataset on a controlled soundstage, simulating the familiarity of a full production. “I aimed to create a workflow that captures what occurs on set, using a language that resonates with cinematographers and directors, while also incorporating consistency and controls they expect.”
The start-up’s initial AI model was crafted to grasp “visual logic and editorial consistency,” all while preserving cinematic standards amid real-world production challenges, such as missing shots, background replacements, or subpar lighting. Affleck stated, “We also integrated limitations to safeguard creative intent, ensuring that the tools facilitate responsible exploration while leaving key creative decisions in the hands of artists—allowing the advantages of this technology to benefit the storytelling process.”
Affleck expressed his excitement for the collaboration with Netflix, stating, “I’m thrilled for this work to continue with the team at Netflix, and I look forward to providing the wider creative community with access to what we build and the future we aim to create together.”
Watch the Netflix video featuring Affleck discussing InterPositive and AI alongside Bajaria and Stone:
