Netflix has acquired InterPositive, an AI filmmaking technology company founded by Ben Affleck. The deal marks a strategic move into AI-powered production tools, reflecting a broader industry shift toward exploring AI for content creation despite previous concerns.
Netflix's leadership emphasized that such tools are intended to expand creative freedom and assist artists, not replace them. Affleck, who will join Netflix as a senior advisor, stated the company's AI model is built with restraints to protect creative intent and keep decisions in human hands.
The acquisition is Netflix's first major deal since withdrawing from a bid for Warner Bros Discovery assets. This follows similar industry moves, like Disney's partnership with OpenAI for its Sora video generator.
Main Topics: Netflix's acquisition of InterPositive; the media industry's growing adoption of AI for content creation; assurances that AI is a tool for artists, not a replacement; Ben Affleck's role and the technology's design principles.
Netflix said on Thursday it has acquired InterPositive, a filmmaking technology company founded by Academy Award winner Ben Affleck that produces artificial intelligence-powered tools for movie production.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The media industry is warming up to the âidea of â using â AI for content and storytelling, a major pivot from Hollywood's earlier âconcerns about the new technology challenging creative jobs and intellectual property ârights.
Late last year, Disney announced plans to allow OpenAI to use characters from its Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel franchises in the startup's â Sora AI âvideo generator.
"We believe new tools should âexpand creative âfreedom, not constrain it or replace the â work of writers, directors, actors, and crews," Netflix âChief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said.
The acquisition is the streaming giant's first since backing out of a high-stakes race to acquire Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming assets after Paramount Skydance's rival bid was deemed as superior.
Affleck, director and star of âOscar-winning film "Argo", founded InterPositive in 2022 by creating an AI model trained to understand âvisual logic âand editorial consistency, â while maintaining cinematic rules under real-world production challenges such as missing shots or incorrect lighting.
"We also built in restraints âto protect creative intent, so the tools are designed for responsible exploration while keeping creative decisions in the hands of artists," Affleck said.
Affleck will be joining Netflix as a senior advisor.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The media industry is warming up to the âidea of â using â AI for content and storytelling, a major pivot from Hollywood's earlier âconcerns about the new technology challenging creative jobs and intellectual property ârights.
Late last year, Disney announced plans to allow OpenAI to use characters from its Star Wars, Pixar and Marvel franchises in the startup's â Sora AI âvideo generator.
"We believe new tools should âexpand creative âfreedom, not constrain it or replace the â work of writers, directors, actors, and crews," Netflix âChief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said.
The acquisition is the streaming giant's first since backing out of a high-stakes race to acquire Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming assets after Paramount Skydance's rival bid was deemed as superior.
Affleck, director and star of âOscar-winning film "Argo", founded InterPositive in 2022 by creating an AI model trained to understand âvisual logic âand editorial consistency, â while maintaining cinematic rules under real-world production challenges such as missing shots or incorrect lighting.
"We also built in restraints âto protect creative intent, so the tools are designed for responsible exploration while keeping creative decisions in the hands of artists," Affleck said.
Affleck will be joining Netflix as a senior advisor.
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