Ben Affleck Is Doing Everything He Can To Turn Netflix Into AI Content
By TeeJay Small | Published
At this point, there is no more use of artificial intelligence. New age technology is in our movies, in our social media feeds, and in our water supply, full of nutrients that would otherwise go into our human mouths. For some, this is an incredibly scary prospect, although others find it easy to adapt to AI’s creative abilities. For example, Ben Affleck has taken up the idea of making movies with AI and has even partnered with Netflix to launch an AI called InterPositive.
According to a report from The Guardian, Ben Affleck’s InterPositive has been quietly working since 2022, long before the Academy Award winner publicly embraced the concept of AI in films. In fact, before the Netflix deal was announced, Affleck expressed concern about AI in Hollywood, criticizing the technology as being unable to produce something that could compete with primitive human grit. To that end, the Dark Knight emeritus has clarified that InterPositive will not use the production script or video creation tools and will assist in the post-production process.
To hear Affleck himself tell it in a recent Netflix statement, InterPositive is the next step in the evolution of post-production. “From the invention of the moving image to digital transformation, from motion capture to visual production, technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it,” he explained. Although the public has yet to get a glimpse of the functionality of this technology, it appears that InterPositive will be built into a digital editing program, such as Avid Media Composer or DaVinci Resolve. From there, it will be used to help rearrange shots or adjust lighting, without requiring any intrusive human foresight.
Netflix isn’t the only big name in film and TV incorporating AI into its operations. Officials from Disney have already announced their intention to collaborate with Sam Altman’s OpenAI, and other projects, such as Emilia Perez, Night with the Devilagain Marvel’s Secret Invasionhave received mixed reactions to their use of AI for production. While many consumers are still divided on the issue, major broadcasters and studios seem ready to jump in, even if it means ruffling some feathers.
At this point, there’s no way to know for sure how the implementation of Ben Affleck’s InterPositive or similar AI will affect the future of film. One day, we may look back on this period of history and laugh at the archaic nature of pre-AI filmmaking. The worst case scenario is that it’s a big bubble, which will pop and leave a few managers on their skis, while costing utilities to people who live very close to the data centers.
Either way, Ben Affleck walked away with an undisclosed sum for his role in bringing AI to mainstream movies, and a new title as a senior advisor at Netflix. If the thousands of sad smoking pictures are any indication of his behavior, we can conclude that he really needed this win.
