Ben Affleck is facing backlash in Hollywood after selling his artificial intelligence startup to Netflix in a deal that has sparked debate across the entertainment industry.
The 53-year-old actor founded the Los Angeles-based company InterPositive in 2022 with the goal of developing AI tools designed to help filmmakers during production and post-production. Now, Netflix has officially acquired the company in what insiders describe as a rare purchase by the streaming giant.
While financial details of the deal have not been publicly disclosed, Netflix confirmed that InterPositive’s entire 16-person team of engineers, researchers and creatives will join the company as part of the acquisition.
Affleck will also stay involved with the project, taking on a role as a senior adviser to Netflix as the company continues developing the technology.
According to Netflix, the tools created by InterPositive are meant to assist filmmakers rather than replace them. The technology works by building an AI model using footage from an existing production. That model can then help with post-production tasks such as color correction, relighting shots and adding visual effects.
Affleck emphasized that the technology is not designed to create movies automatically.
“It’s not about text-prompting or generating something from nothing,” he said in a video shared by Netflix announcing the acquisition.
“AI, people mostly think of it as making something from nothing. I’m going to type something into a computer and it’s going to give me a movie. That’s not what this is.”
Instead, Affleck said the tools are meant to support filmmakers and streamline the editing process without taking control away from the people actually making the films.
Netflix says it plans to make the technology available to creative partners rather than selling it commercially.
But not everyone in Hollywood is happy about the move.
Some insiders claim the deal has sparked anger among filmmakers and industry workers who worry that artificial intelligence could eventually replace jobs across the film and television business.
One industry source reportedly said there is “utter fury” over Affleck’s involvement in AI technology.
“This is a guy who championed indie filmmaking with Good Will Hunting,” the insider said. “Now he’s making huge money from AI, even though people have warned it could eliminate millions of jobs and flood the industry with automated content.”
Despite the criticism, Netflix leadership defended the acquisition, saying the goal is to give creators more control over how their projects are completed.
Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria said the company remains committed to protecting the role of artists in filmmaking.
“Our relationship with artists has always been grounded in trust,” Bajaria said in a statement. “We believe new tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it or replace the work of writers, directors, actors and crews.”
She added that filmmakers have historically played a key role in shaping how new technology is used in storytelling.
“Ben and his team at InterPositive are part of a long tradition in our industry of artists leading the way in how innovation is used,” Bajaria said. “Their work is about giving filmmakers more choices and more control over their vision.”