Netflix reveals $587 million price tag for Ben Affleck AI startup

MUMBAI: Netflix isn’t just rolling the credits on films, it is investing in how they’re made. The streaming giant has revealed that it spent approximately $587 million in cash to acquire InterPositive, the artificial intelligence filmmaking startup founded by Ben Affleck, underscoring its growing push to embed AI into content creation without sidelining human storytellers.

The figure was disclosed in Netflix’s latest Form 10-Q filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where the acquisition, completed in March 2026, was recorded as a business combination. While the filing does not explicitly name the company, Netflix had previously announced its acquisition of InterPositive on March 5.

Founded by Affleck in 2022, InterPositive operated privately while developing AI-powered tools designed to support filmmakers throughout the production process. Rather than replacing creative professionals, the company focused on streamlining post-production workflows, allowing directors and editors to retain creative control.

When the acquisition was announced, Affleck said he launched the company after concluding that artificial intelligence should enhance creativity rather than replace it, adding that Netflix’s approach to responsible technology made it the ideal long-term partner.

According to Affleck, InterPositive built a proprietary dataset using a controlled soundstage before training its first AI model. The technology was designed to understand visual continuity and editorial logic, helping filmmakers solve production challenges such as missing shots, incorrect lighting and background replacement while preserving cinematic quality.

As part of the acquisition, Affleck joined Netflix as a senior adviser, while the company’s 16-member team of engineers, researchers and creative specialists also moved to the streaming platform to continue developing AI-driven filmmaking tools.

The investment aligns with Netflix’s broader strategy of integrating generative AI into production. Speaking during the company’s latest quarterly earnings call, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said AI workflows are now being used across around 300 Netflix productions, with post-production accounting for the largest share of deployment.

Sarandos highlighted The American Experiment, a documentary series backed by Tom Hanks, as an example of AI’s growing role. He said the production featured 17 minutes of AI-enhanced footage, which was completed in half the time and at half the cost of conventional methods.

Despite the rapid adoption of AI, Sarandos stressed that Netflix does not see the technology as a substitute for filmmakers.

“We believe it takes great artists to make something great, and AI is not changing that,” he said, adding that while artificial intelligence equips creators with more powerful tools, films will continue to be made by people.

The disclosure offers one of the clearest indications yet of how much Netflix is willing to invest in AI infrastructure as competition intensifies across the streaming industry. Rather than treating artificial intelligence as a replacement for creative talent, the company is positioning it as a production accelerator, one that could reshape how films and series are made while keeping human storytelling at the centre of the frame.