Ben Affleck opens up about selling AI filmmaking company InterPositive to Netflix in a $587 million deal; explains why Hollywood should not panic over job losses; says AI will not replace filmmakers | English Movie News
Ben Affleck believes Hollywood should take a measured approach to artificial intelligence (AI) rather than panic over predictions that the technology will eliminate jobs or threaten humanity. The actor, who sold his AI filmmaking company InterPositive to Netflix in a deal reportedly valued at $587 million, has explained what the technology does and why he believes filmmakers still have an essential role to play.In an interview with GQ, Affleck discussed his long-standing interest in computers, the evolution of visual effects and the limitations of generative AI. Drawing on his experience in filmmaking, he explained why he developed technology designed to give filmmakers greater control over the creative process and why he believes fears about AI replacing entire professions need to be examined more carefully.
Ben Affleck recalls the moment he feared AI could change filmmaking
Affleck said his interest in technology began when he was young and grew as the film industry moved from traditional film to digital production. His experience with visual effects and machine learning also helped him understand the technology’s potential.However, when he first saw AI systems generating realistic-looking videos with just a few prompts, he was alarmed.“I remember as I called Matt and I was like, ‘Dude, we’re fucked,’” Affleck recalled, referring to his friend and fellow filmmaker Matt Damon.He said there was a point when he wondered whether filmmakers should hurry to make as many movies as possible before AI changed the industry completely.But after spending more time studying the technology and speaking with engineering teams, he began noticing its limitations. Although AI could generate convincing images, it was not always consistent or capable of following precise filmmaking instructions.“If you say move the camera, we’ll just generate a camera in the image,” he explained, describing one of the problems he observed.Affleck came to believe that the technology needed a better understanding of how filmmaking actually works, rather than simply generating images based on patterns learned from large datasets.
Why he created InterPositive and what Netflix gets from it
Affleck said he saw an opportunity to develop AI tools specifically for filmmakers, with greater attention to creative control and the industry’s concerns about intellectual property and likeness rights.He explained that some technology companies wanted to work with him on AI development, but he worried that filmmakers might lose control over the technology and the value it created.“I don’t want this technology to develop somewhere else and not be available to anyone who’s a filmmaker who wants to make their movie,” he said.Affleck went on to establish InterPositive, investing in a specialised dataset created using cameras, LiDAR, location-specific devices and virtual production technology. He hired engineers, data architects, inference specialists and visual effects professionals to develop a system tailored to filmmaking.The objective was to build technology that could support filmmakers without depending on training material taken from other artists’ work in ways they might not know about or agree with.Affleck said the company focused on how AI could be applied to practical filmmaking needs rather than merely demonstrating that it could generate impressive effects.Netflix acquired InterPositive in a deal reported to be worth $587 million. The acquisition brings the company’s AI filmmaking technology into the streaming giant’s operations, although the reported valuation has not been independently confirmed here.
‘You’re never just going to type your movie out’
Affleck strongly disagreed with the idea that AI would soon make human filmmakers redundant.“Because then I realized you’re never just going to type your movie out. That’s just never going to happen,” he said, arguing that filmmaking involves much more than generating footage from text prompts.He also pointed to the high computing costs associated with AI-generated video, noting that producing video requires substantial resources compared with many other AI applications.The actor believes AI can be useful when it helps filmmakers carry out specific tasks while leaving creative decisions in human hands.Discussing the idea that AI would simply generate movies and replace everyone involved in making them, he said: “That’s all bullshit.”His argument is that AI tools should be developed around the actual needs of artists and filmmakers, rather than being presented as a technology that can automatically replace an entire creative workforce.
Ben Affleck says fears about AI taking jobs are understandable
Affleck acknowledged that people working in creative industries have legitimate reasons to be concerned about AI, especially when technology companies make sweeping predictions about job losses.“Anybody who’s told, ‘Hey, this is going to replace you in your livelihood,’ is fucking concerned,” he said.He questioned why workers should be expected to welcome a technology when they are repeatedly told it could eliminate their livelihoods.“Like going out and saying, ‘We’re going to wipe out half of white-collar work,’ does little to stir enthusiasm to adopt your product,” he added.Affleck also argued that public discussion around AI is often driven by dramatic predictions and fears about the future. He suggested that people should assess the credibility of those making such predictions by looking at how accurate their earlier forecasts have been.Rather than dismissing the risks or assuming the worst, he called for a measured and responsible approach to AI development.
He dismisses the idea of AI taking over humanity but warns of real dangers
While Affleck rejected the idea that AI would become a science-fiction-style system that takes over the world, he warned against giving the technology control over decisions that could have life-or-death consequences.When asked whether AI could turn into something like Skynet, the fictional artificial intelligence system in the Terminator franchise, he responded: “No, that’s not the case.”However, he pointed to the risks of allowing AI to make decisions involving military targeting or security operations without appropriate safeguards.“I wouldn’t just give an unpredictable stochastic technology the controls over something that had a life-or-death impact on people,” he said.Affleck explained that generative AI operates differently from conventional computing systems, which are generally expected to return the same correct answer for a given calculation. AI-generated outputs are based on probabilities and are not guaranteed to be accurate every time.He warned that handing over critical decisions to such systems without adequate oversight could lead to serious mistakes.The actor also highlighted accountability as an important safeguard, arguing that companies should be held responsible when their technology causes harm.For Affleck, the answer is not to reject AI altogether, but to ensure that it is developed responsibly and used in ways that support people rather than put their livelihoods or safety at risk.
