Netflix Spends $587 Million on AI Production Startup
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The acquisition of Ben Affleck's InterPositive signals a push toward AI-driven efficiency in post-production to mitigate filming challenges.
Netflix has acquired InterPositive, an AI filmmaking startup co-founded by actor and director Ben Affleck, for $587 million in cash, according to a regulatory filing reported by TechCrunch. While the streaming giant first announced the deal in March without disclosing the price, a Bloomberg report had previously estimated the acquisition's value at up to $600 million.
InterPositive specializes in AI tools designed to streamline post-production. According to Affleck, the technology allows creators to address "real-world production challenges," including the correction of lighting, the replacement of backgrounds, and the filling of missing shots. Affleck, who joins Netflix as a senior advisor, has said he wanted to "protect the power of human creativity."
As part of the agreement, the entire InterPositive team will join Netflix. The move comes as the company increasingly integrates generative AI into its content pipeline; in its most recent earnings report, Netflix disclosed that approximately 300 of its titles have already utilized generative AI tools, as reported by TechCrunch.