Ben Affleck is no longer just betting on actors in front of the camera or directors behind it. He’s betting on the code that connects them.
In a deal that signals a major shift in how Hollywood integrates artificial intelligence (AI), Netflix announced Thursday it has acquired InterPositive, an AI-powered technology company quietly founded by Oscar-winner Ben Affleck. The move is significant as the streaming giant seeks to position itself as a creator-first innovator in an industry increasingly wary of generative technology.
While financial terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed, the deal includes the transition of InterPositive’s entire 16-person team of engineers, researchers, and creative executives to Netflix. Affleck, 53, will remain closely involved, joining the streamer as a senior adviser to oversee the integration of the tools into the company’s post-production process.
Founded by Affleck in 2022, InterPositive was born out of the actor-filmmaker’s desire to bridge the gap between technical efficiency and artistic integrity. In a statement released by Netflix, Affleck noted that he felt a “responsibility” to his peers to ensure that AI serves the storyteller rather than replacing the artist.
“I was worried that this was a technology that was going to grow outside of the ecosystem of filmmakers and artists,” Affleck said in a filmed discussion with Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria and Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone. “I saw what I thought was a real opportunity and a real authentic danger.”
“Technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it,” Affleck said, framing the merger as a “natural next step” in the history of cinema.
Unlike broader generative AI models that have sparked labor disputes in Hollywood, InterPositive’s technology is purpose-built for the technical side of filmmaking.
The company’s models were trained on closed soundstages to master visual logic and editorial consistency. Rather than mimicking actor performances, the tools focus on solving production hurdles such as correcting inconsistent lighting across scenes, integrating background replacements seamlessly, and filling in missing shots during the editing process.
The acquisition is the latest episode in an evolving relationship between Affleck and Netflix. In January, the streamer released “The Rip,” an action thriller produced by Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity. That production broke industry norms by the implementation of a performance-based bonus structure for all 1,200 crew members — a move that aligns with Affleck’s public stance on protecting the “people behind the creativity.”
The deal also follows Netflix’s recent withdrawal from a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery’s assets. By investing in proprietary tech instead of traditional studio infrastructure, Netflix appears to be doubling down on co-CEO Ted Sarandos’s philosophy that AI should make content “$10\%$ better” rather than “$50\%$ cheaper.”
For Netflix, InterPositive provides a controlled environment for AI experimentation. Directors will be able to upload their own dailies to hone models specific to their projects, ensuring the filmmaker retains control over the final aesthetic.
