In a move that has shaken the entire audiovisual industry, Netflix has completed the purchase of InterPositiveA discreet but ambitious AI startup focused on filmmaking, founded by Ben Affleck. The deal, for which no figures have been disclosed, reinforces the platform's commitment to controlling its own technology as it races to differentiate itself from other streaming services.
Beyond the eye-catching headline, the maneuver has a clear meaning: Netflix wants to shorten production times and reduce costs. without giving the impression that AI will replace screenwriters, directors, or actors. And at a time of particular sensitivity in Hollywood and European audiovisual hubs, that distinction is not exactly a minor detail.
InterPositive: Ben Affleck's startup that wants to streamline post-production
The name may not have sounded familiar to you until now, but InterPositive is a startup founded in 2022 by Ben Affleck with a very specific idea: to use artificial intelligence to solve the problems of filming and post-production, without inventing movies out of thin air or generating synthetic actors.
As Affleck himself explained, the spark came when he saw that The AI tools available to filmmakers were not designed for the reality of a professional set.Many were generic solutions that did not fully understand the limitations of time, budget, and visual coherence required by a large production.
InterPositive's system works from the material that is recorded each day on set, the famous “dailies” or shooting diariesWith those images, the tool trains a custom AI model for each movie or series, capable of understanding the actual lighting, the color palette, the type of lenses used, the usual camera movement and the visual aesthetic that the creative team has defined.
Once trained, this model is used in post-production to accelerate tasks that, until now, required weeks of manual work. We're talking about Color correction, lighting adjustment, background changes and replacements, visual effects integration or even fix continuity problems between shots when something has been filmed out of sync or under different conditions.
In Affleck's words, the idea is not for AI to "pull a movie out of thin air," but rather to become a kind of Swiss Army knife for the post-production team, capable of saving shots that would previously have to be repeated or, directly, discarded.
How InterPositive's AI works and what makes it different
Compared to models like Sora or other generative solutions that start with text to build images and videos, InterPositive plays in a different leagueIts AI doesn't create entire scenes, but rather... to understand the visual logic and editorial coherence of a specific project to work on that already filmed material.
The team, made up of 16 people including engineers, researchers and creativesHe has trained models who respect the basic rules of cinematic language. The focus is on dealing with real-world, everyday problems: missing shots, takes with incorrect lighting, backgrounds that need to be changed at the last minute, or scenes that don't quite fit together in the editing.
To build the first model, Affleck and his team used a expressly recorded data setDesigned to teach AI how a camera behaves in real-world filming situations, this resulted in a smaller, more specific system than the large, general-purpose models, but much more closely aligned with the craft of filmmaking.
One of the points most emphasized by InterPositive and Netflix is that the technology includes integrated ethical and creative constraintsIn practice, this means that the software has been configured not to exceed certain limits: AI suggests and automates technical tasks, but The final decisions remain in the hands of the artists., who can accept, adjust or reject what the system proposes.
The result is an AI that, in theory, It prioritizes visual logic and editorial coherence. above gratuitous spectacle, something especially important when working with series and films that must maintain a recognizable style from beginning to end.
Ben Affleck: From Hollywood star to tech founder and senior advisor
Far from being a mere advertising ploy, Ben Affleck has been heavily involved in the company's design.His experience as an actor, director, screenwriter, and producer has allowed him to pinpoint with considerable accuracy where productions get stuck and what kind of technical assistance is appreciated when time is of the essence.
Affleck has repeatedly insisted that his goal with InterPositive was to protect what makes storytelling human: the criterionThat judgment is built on years of filming, mistakes, successes, and difficult decisions, and no machine possesses it on its own.
That's why I repeat an idea like a mantra: This AI was not created to replace anyonebut to lighten the heavy workload and allow creative teams to spend more time on what cannot be automated: the tone of a scene, the rhythm of a montage, the nuance of a performance, or the atmosphere of a location.
With the purchase finalized, Affleck becomes senior advisor within NetflixReporting directly to the company's top management, their role will be to help deploy these tools across different productions and ensure that the technological implementation doesn't overshadow the filmmakers' voices—a concern in both Hollywood and Europe.
For Netflix, being able to say that an AI tool has been conceived, tested, and championed by a prestigious filmmaker also serves as a reassuring message to directors, screenwriters and actors who view these technologies with some distrust.
Netflix's stance: AI yes, but with artists at the center
The operation comes at a delicate time. Following the strikes by screenwriters and actors in the United States, where The use of AI was one of the major points of contention.Any move by the major platforms in this area is scrutinized.
Netflix's official line is clear: AI should expand creative freedom, not curtail it.Content director Bela Bajaria described InterPositive as a tool that offers filmmakers "more options, more control and more protection," emphasizing that the relationship with artists is based on trust and respecting their decisions.
Meanwhile, the director of product and technology, Elizabeth Stone, insists that The company's focus has always been on responding to the specific needs of the creative community. and of the subscribers. According to Stone, the InterPositive team is joining Netflix precisely because they share the idea that technological innovation should empower storytellers, don't replace them.
Affleck went even further, explaining that, from the design stage, they incorporated "restrictions to protect creative intent"In other words, the tool has been built so that the important decisions continue to be made in the editing room, at the script table, or on set, while the AI takes care of polishing technical details and offering alternatives.
In an ecosystem where models capable of generating impressive scenes proliferate, but also... threatening jobs and obscuring authorshipThis more conservative, assistance-focused stance has a greater chance of being accepted by unions and professional associations, both in the United States and in Europe.
What Netflix gains: speed, technological control, and a competitive advantage
Beyond the rhetoric, there is a very practical component: Netflix produces hundreds of titles a year in numerous countries.with series like Stranger ThingsTight schedules and budgets that, while high, aren't unlimited. Any tool that shortens post-production work weeks translates directly into money and more room to take risks on new projects.
By integrating InterPositive into its internal workflow, the company intends that series and films go through the post-production phase more quicklyOn paper, this should allow for earlier releases, reorganized launch schedules, and a more agile response to what works on screen.
Another key point is that Netflix has hinted that It has no intention of commercializing these tools as a third-party product. InterPositive's technology will be used internally, as a kind of hidden advantage over Disney+, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and the other platforms competing for viewers' attention.
The deal also strengthens the company's technological independence: instead of relying solely on external AI providers, Netflix Talent and proprietary intellectual property are secured in an area as sensitive as the creation of audiovisual content.
The fact that a company with only 16 people has developed a solution robust enough to be attractive to a giant with more than 260 million subscribers demonstrates, incidentally, that vertical specialization in very specific problems It remains a viable path for AI startups.
Impact in Europe and Spain: more agile productions and less tense sets
InterPositive's integration will not be limited to major Hollywood projects. Netflix has been investing in European productions for years.With Spain as one of its key markets, and everything points to this technology eventually reaching film sets and editing rooms across the continent.
In countries like Spain, where many projects are built with budgets with more content and very tight schedulesHaving an AI capable of correcting lighting errors, saving compromised shots, or adjusting backgrounds without having to repeat an entire day of filming can make a huge difference.
For production companies working with Netflix in Madrid, Barcelona, or any other European city, having models trained specifically with the footage of each series or film This means gaining visual consistency and, at the same time, flexibility. If a sunset doesn't turn out as expected, if a cloud sneaks in where it shouldn't, or if a location falls short, AI can help smooth out the problem without blowing the budget.
From a calendar perspective, the goal is that European premieres should not be penalized by post-production bottlenecks.If the system works as promised, Netflix could better adjust its global releases, bringing series and films shot in Spain or other European countries with international potential to market earlier.
Obviously, we will also have to see here how are the concerns of local teams managedEditors, colorists, VFX artists, and other technical professionals will be watching closely to see if the tool is used to enhance their skills or if, little by little, it becomes an excuse to cut jobs. The official narrative is clear in the first sense, but its actual use will be assessed on a production-by-production basis.
A move that sets the direction the industry is heading.
The purchase of InterPositive fits with the strategy that Netflix has been outlining to its investors: the company considers itself well positioned to take advantage of advances in AI throughout its entire production and distribution cycle. Until now, it had already experimented with artificial intelligence in special effects and other areas, but it did not have its own tool so closely tied to the heart of the creative process.
In a sector where other large technology firms are competing to acquire talent and AI patents, betting on a small but highly specialized startup allows Netflix to... move a piece without needing mammoth operationsInstead of buying entire studios, as was rumored with other media groups, it has opted to fine-tune the engine that makes its productions possible.
For the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the case sends several clear messages: there is room for AI solutions highly focused on niche problemsEthical storytelling and respect for creators can be a differentiating factor; and the combination of trade experience and technical knowledge It remains one of the most attractive formulas for attracting the attention of giants like Netflix.
Pending seeing how all this translates to the screen—and in the credits of upcoming series and films—the move leaves a clear impression: AI has already established itself as a structural part of film and television.And the discussion, both in Hollywood and in Europe, is no longer whether it will be used or not, but how and under what conditions it will be integrated into the daily work of storytellers.
