The entertainment industry has been grappling with artificial intelligence’s growing influence, particularly after the 2023 Screen Actors Guild strike from July to November, which spotlighted AI concerns alongside the Writers Guild of America’s demands. Despite apprehensions from creatives, Netflix recently acquired Ben Affleck’s AI startup, InterPositive, founded in 2022, aiming to integrate AI tools that complement rather than replace human storytelling. This partnership reflects Netflix’s commitment to preserving the creative process while exploring cutting-edge technology.
InterPositive’s Mission to Enhance Creativity Through Technology
InterPositive defines itself as a company that merges artistry and technology to produce striking visual narratives. It aims to develop AI tools that aid creativity, focusing on clean animation and AI-enhanced visuals, emphasizing that
“every frame matters, every idea counts, and yeah — we like to keep it positive.”
This philosophy highlights a desire to maintain a human-centered approach to AI, ensuring that technology amplifies artistic intention rather than overshadowing it.
Ben Affleck Emphasizes the Need for Human-Centric AI in Filmmaking
In a conversation released by Netflix featuring Ben Affleck, Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, and Chief Product and Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone, Affleck shared his motivation behind founding InterPositive. He wanted to counteract fears and skepticism about AI’s potential impact by involving creatives directly in how AI is developed and applied in entertainment. According to Affleck, AI must be designed to
“represent and protect all the qualities that make a great story,”
including the subtleties of filmmaking and the complexities that arise on a production set.
“For artists to apply these tools towards telling the stories we dedicate our lives to, they need to be purpose-built to represent and protect all the qualities that make a great story: the nuances of filmmaking, the predictable — and unpredictable — challenges of production environments, the distortion of a lens or the way light shape-shifts across a scene.”
— Ben Affleck, Actor, Writer, Director
How Netflix Supports Creative Control Over AI Tools
Elizabeth Stone explained the partnership’s goal is to empower artists to shape AI technology rather than passively accept its outcomes. Unlike other AI applications that generate content automatically, InterPositive focuses on assisting filmmakers in post-production by creating models from daily footage or rough cuts. These models improve tasks such as editing, color grading, visual effects, and mixing, allowing artists to maintain oversight and control.
Earlier this year, Affleck discussed AI’s limitations during a Joe Rogan podcast alongside Matt Damon, highlighting that much of today’s AI is “terrible” because it operates by averaging existing data and lacks creativity. He expressed doubt about AI’s ability to generate meaningful work without human input.
“by its nature, it goes to the mean, to the average, and it’s not reliable. I actually don’t think it’s going to be able to write anything meaningful.”
— Ben Affleck, Actor, Writer, Director
Affleck further underscored the importance of preserving human judgment in storytelling, noting that it is developed through years of experience and cannot be replicated by AI.
“We also need to preserve what makes storytelling human, which is judgment. The kind that takes decades to build, experience to hone and that only people can have. I knew I had a responsibility to my peers and our industry, to protect the power of human creativity and the people behind it. In creating InterPositive, I sought to do just that.”
— Ben Affleck, Actor, Writer, Director
Challenges and Industry Reactions Surrounding AI in Entertainment
The collaboration between Netflix and InterPositive arrives amid widespread criticism regarding AI’s role in the entertainment sector. Incidents such as the emergence of digitally generated actor Tilly Norwood have intensified debate over the ethical and artistic implications of AI technology. Historically, technological advancements in filmmaking—from the vivid technicolor effects of The Wizard of Oz (1939) to the lifelike dinosaurs of Jurassic Park (1993)—have been celebrated as achievements crafted by human artists using technology as a tool.
However, AI’s application presents new challenges. The difference lies in the extent to which AI can autonomously generate creative content rather than assist human artists. Critics remain cautious, insisting on maintaining a strong human presence in the artistic process to safeguard the authenticity of storytelling.
Looking Ahead: The Role of AI and Human Creativity in Film’s Future
By acquiring InterPositive, Netflix is positioning itself at the forefront of a technological shift that aims to balance AI innovation with respect for human creativity. Ben Affleck’s involvement signals an industry effort to direct AI development in ways that prioritize artists’ perspectives and preserve the craftsmanship essential to filmmaking. While the path forward involves navigating significant skepticism, this partnership may serve as a model for collaborating with AI tools that support rather than supplant the creative mind, suggesting a future where technology and human storytelling coexist to enhance cinematic experiences.
