Hollywood is still trying to figure out where AI fits in filmmaking. Many creators worry that the technology could be used to cut corners, replace jobs, or weaken creative control.
The bigger concern is not just what AI can do, but who controls it and whether it helps artists or sidelines them. Netflix is now making its position clear.
The streaming giant has acquired InterPositive, the filmmaking technology company founded by Ben Affleck, in a move to build AI tools designed specifically for filmmakers rather than generic production software.
Netflix said InterPositive’s mission fits closely with its own view that technology should support storytelling, not take it over. As part of the acquisition, InterPositive’s full team will join Netflix, while Affleck will come on board as Senior Advisor.
The company said the goal is to invest in creator-led innovation and keep filmmakers at the centre of how these tools are developed and used.
Why did Affleck start InterPositive?
Affleck said the idea for InterPositive came after he spent time in 2022 watching the early wave of AI tools entering production. From his point of view, most of them were not built with filmmakers’ real needs in mind.
He said storytelling depends on details that machines often fail to understand properly, from lens distortion and lighting changes to the unpredictable nature of a live production environment. Just as important, he argued, is human judgment, something he believes cannot be replaced by software.
That led him to start InterPositive with a small team of engineers, researchers, and creatives.
What this means for Netflix
The acquisition gives Netflix direct access to a team building AI tools specifically for film and TV production at a time when the entertainment industry is still debating how far AI should go.
Rather than positioning AI as a replacement for writers, directors, or crews, Netflix is presenting this move as a way to build creative tools with artists involved from the start. That message matters in an industry where trust around AI remains fragile.
For Netflix, this is also a sign that the future of entertainment technology may not be about the biggest AI model, but about the tools that fit how creators actually work.
Built on filmmaking data, not general AI shortcuts
According to Affleck, the company built its own proprietary dataset on a controlled soundstage that reflected the reality of a working production set. The aim was to create tools that spoke the language of directors and cinematographers, while also matching the consistency and control they expect on set.
Over time, that work led to the company’s first model, which was trained to understand visual logic and editorial consistency. Affleck said it was designed to handle real production issues such as missing shots, incorrect lighting, and background replacement, while still respecting cinematic rules and creative intent.
He also stressed that the company focused on filmmaking techniques rather than performances, saying the tools were meant to assist artists, not recreate or replace them.
Elizabeth Stone, Netflix Chief Product and Technology Officer: “Our approach to AI has always been focused on meaningfully serving the needs of the creative community and our members. The InterPositive team is joining Netflix because of our shared belief that innovation should empower storytellers, not replace them. InterPositive’s impressive technology is purpose-built for filmmakers and showrunners to work with tools that naturally support their creative visions and how they want to bring them to life. We’re excited to welcome the InterPositive team to Netflix and continue building towards a future of entertainment where technology plays a part in how stories are made, but people — and their ideas, craft and judgment — remain at the core of great storytelling.”
Bela Bajaria, Netflix Chief Content Officer: “Our relationship with artists has always been grounded in trust: supporting the full range of their creativity and ensuring they have the power to decide how their films and shows are made. We believe new tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it or replace the work of writers, directors, actors, and crews. Ben and his team at InterPositive are part of a long tradition in our industry of artists leading the way in how innovation is used in storytelling. Their work is about giving filmmakers more choices, more control and more protection for their vision. We’re excited to build on that legacy together, with creators and their artistic intentions at the centre of everything we do.”
