Netflix has announced a rare acquisition, purchasing InterPositive, an artificial intelligence start-up founded by actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck. While the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, this move signifies Netflix's strategic commitment to integrating advanced AI tools into its production ecosystem. The entire 16-person team from InterPositive, comprising engineers, researchers, and creatives, will transition to Netflix, with Affleck himself taking on a senior advisory role to offer continuous guidance.

Historically, Netflix has preferred to develop its technologies in-house rather than acquiring them. However, the company identified InterPositive as offering a unique suite of AI tools specifically designed to keep filmmakers at the heart of the creative process. Netflix intends to provide its creative partners with access to InterPositive's technology, emphasizing that there are no plans for commercial sale in the broader marketplace.

InterPositive, an L.A.-based company that had been operating in stealth mode since its inception by Affleck in 2022, notably does not produce generative AI videos in the vein of platforms like OpenAI’s Sora. Affleck clarified the company's distinct approach in a video shared by Netflix, stating, “It’s not about text-prompting or generating something from nothing. AI, people mostly think of 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.”

Instead, the InterPositive system functions by constructing an AI model derived from an existing production’s daily footage. This model is then integrated into the post-production workflow, empowering filmmakers with capabilities such as mixing and color correction, relighting shots, and adding visual effects. Affleck elaborated that the tools are designed to augment, not replace, the creative decisions of artists.

This acquisition follows closely on the heels of Netflix's withdrawal from a bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studios and streaming businesses. Netflix opted not to make a counteroffer after Paramount Skydance increased its offer for WBD to a winning bid of $31 per share.

Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, underscored that InterPositive’s AI technology will furnish its partners with “more choices, more control and more protection for their vision.” She added that Netflix’s relationships with artists are built on trust, supporting their creativity and ensuring they control how their films and shows are produced. Bajaria emphasized that new tools should expand creative freedom rather than restricting or superseding the work of writers, directors, actors, and crews. She praised Affleck and his team for continuing the industry's tradition of artists leading innovation in storytelling, focusing on empowering filmmakers and their artistic intentions.

Elizabeth Stone, Netflix’s chief product and technology officer, echoed these sentiments, noting that current generative AI video platforms often lack a filmmaker’s perspective. She clarified that InterPositive’s tools are developed to assist filmmakers in producing higher-quality content, not merely to expedite or reduce the cost of film and TV production. Stone reiterated Netflix’s AI philosophy, which centers on genuinely serving the needs of both the creative community and its members, and expressed excitement about integrating InterPositive’s team into Netflix to build a future where technology supports storytelling without diminishing the central role of human ideas, craft, and judgment.

Affleck himself provided insight into the genesis of InterPositive. He explained that in 2022, after observing the early advancements of AI in production, he recognized the shortcomings of existing models for artists. He felt a responsibility to protect human creativity and judgment, which takes decades to cultivate. Affleck envisioned purpose-built tools that could represent and safeguard the nuances of filmmaking, address production challenges, and preserve the human element of storytelling.

To achieve this, InterPositive initiated the filming of a proprietary dataset on a controlled soundstage, simulating a full production environment. Affleck aimed to construct a workflow with a vocabulary familiar to cinematographers and directors, ensuring consistency and control. The start-up’s initial AI model was trained to comprehend “visual logic and editorial consistency,” maintaining cinematic rules amidst real-world production obstacles such as missing shots, background alterations, or improper lighting. Crucially, built-in restraints were included to protect creative intent, ensuring that artists retain control over creative decisions and that the technology directly benefits the narrative they seek to tell. Affleck expressed his enthusiasm for continuing this work with Netflix and making these tools accessible to the broader creative community.