Ben Affleck Confirms He Used AI in New Netflix Film Animals
Ben Affleck confirmed he utilized artificial intelligence for multiple aspects of his upcoming Netflix thriller Animals, stating that the technology streamlined post-production workflows without replacing human labor.
Ben Affleck Defends Artificial Intelligence Use in Netflix Thriller Animals
Animals premieres on Netflix on October 9, featuring Affleck as Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball, whose son is kidnapped, alongside Kerry Washington playing his wife. Directed and co-written by Affleck, the movie also stars Gillian Anderson and Steven Yuen, according to The Hollywood Reporter. When asked about incorporating artificial intelligence into the production, Affleck told Bloomberg Screentime reporter Lucas Shaw that he used the technology “for lots of things in that movie.”
Affleck expressed hesitation about detailing the exact applications during his interview, comparing the disclosure to a magic trick. “I’m a little bit hesitant to point out what they are or even talk about it because, in my business, we’re trying to foster the illusion of reality, right?” Affleck said, according to the original source text. “It’s sort of like if you went to a magic show and the magician walked out and said, ‘Just before I start, I want you to know there’s another bunny under here. This guy’s a plant.’ It sort of ruins it, right?”
Despite keeping specific scenes under wraps, Affleck emphasized the utility of the tools. “It allowed us to move in some cases more quickly, really mostly in post-production, to do things that otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to do,” he noted.
Affleck Sells InterPositive to Netflix for $587 Million
The project’s technological backbone stems from Affleck’s own development work in the sector. Affleck founded the AI company InterPositive in 2022 and served as its CEO before selling the enterprise to Netflix in March for $587 million, retaining a senior advisor role. Addressing industry anxieties regarding data training practices, Affleck explained to Bloomberg Screentime that he designed a specialized system to protect artists.
“I was concerned that most of the models being used had trained on my peers, people I know’s work, and I was uncomfortable with that,” Affleck said. “I thought, ‘That’s not really a viable business.’ So I sort of created that last layer, which was an understanding of cinema and cinematic components.”
According to Affleck, the proprietary workflow allows filmmakers to train their own discrete models directly while making a project, ensuring they retain the rights to the learning generated. “It’s meant [to not] replace people, not eliminate,” Affleck said. “I don’t believe there will ever be ‘just type it in and make a movie that people want to see.'”
Affleck Seeks Ethical AI Integration for Creative Communities
Appearing at the premiere of Animals the previous night, Affleck expanded on his strategy to The Hollywood Reporter, emphasizing the need for industry collaboration. “What I’m trying to do is actually bring this technology into our business, into a place where these companies who are guild signatories, who have relationships with the creative community, aren’t going to just go ahead and put you in a movie without your permission and without paying you,” Affleck told The Hollywood Reporter. He warned that failing to integrate ethical systems leaves the creative community vulnerable to outside tech platforms.
During the Bloomberg event, Affleck also cleared up confusion surrounding comments made by Matt Damon on The Joe Rogan Experience regarding Netflix notes. Damon had described a streaming standard where action movies require a major set piece in the first five minutes and repeated plot points for distracted viewers on phones. Affleck clarified that the remarks were misinterpreted from a pull quote. “[Netflix] would never do that,” Affleck said, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. “I don’t know that I’ve never met anyone who’s had a note that idiotic and brazen — and I’ve heard of a lot of idiotic studio notes.”
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