By TeeJay Small
| Published 1 hour ago
At this point, there’s no running from artificial intelligence anymore. The new-age tech is in our movies, in our social media feeds, and in our water supply, soaking up nutrients that would otherwise go into our human mouths. For some, this is an incredibly scary prospect, though others are finding it easier to adjust to AI’s creative capabilities. For instance, Ben Affleck has warmed to the idea of making movies with AI and has even partnered with Netflix to launch an AI startup called InterPositive.
According to a report from The Guardian, Ben Affleck’s InterPositive has been quietly in the works since 2022, long before the Academy Award winner had publicly embraced the concept of AI in films. In fact, before the Netflix deal was announced, Affleck had expressed concerns about AI in Hollywood, lambasting the tech as being unable to generate something that could compete with good old-fashioned human grit. To that end, the Dark Knight emeritus has specified that InterPositive won’t use generative text prompting or video creation tools and will instead assist in the post-production process.
To hear Affleck himself tell it in a recent Netflix press release, InterPositive is the next step in the evolution of post-production. “From the invention of the moving image to the transition to digital, from motion capture to virtual production, technology has evolved alongside the artists who use it,” he explained. While the public has not gotten a glimpse at the hands-on elements of this tech, it seems as though InterPositive will be built-in to a digital editing suite, such as Avid Media Composer or DaVinci Resolve. From there, it will be used to help reframe shots or adjust lighting, without requiring any pesky human foresight.
Netflix isn’t the only big name in film and TV that’s integrating AI into its works, either. Execs from Disney have already announced their intention to partner with Sam Altman’s OpenAI, while some projects, such as Emilia Pérez, Late Night with the Devil, and Marvel’s Secret Invasion, have drawn mixed reactions for their use of generative AI. Though many consumers are still split on the subject, the major streamers and studios seem prepared to go all in, even if it means ruffling some feathers.
For now, there’s no way of knowing exactly how Ben Affleck’s InterPositive or similar AI startups will influence the future of film. Someday, we might even look back at this period of history and laugh at the primitive nature of pre-AI filmmaking. The worst-case scenario is that it’s a massive bubble, doomed to pop and leave a few executives way over their skis, while gouging utility prices for people who live too close to data centers.
Either way, Ben Affleck made off with an undisclosed sum for his role in bringing AI into mainstream movies, along with a fresh new title as senior advisor at Netflix. If the myriad of sad smoking photos are any indication of his general demeanor, we can surmise that he really needed this win.
