Netflix reportedly pays $600 million for Ben Affleck-backed AI startup

Last week, Netflix announced that it had acquired InterPositive, an AI company co-founded by Ben Affleck that develops tools to help filmmakers edit footage during post-production.

According to Bloomberg, the transaction could be worth up to $600 million, making it one of the largest acquisitions in Netflix’s history. The biggest amount Netflix has previously paid for a single acquisition was around $700 million for the Roald Dahl Story Company.

Netflix has not publicly confirmed the financial terms of the deal. Still, sources told Bloomberg that the upfront cash portion may be lower, with InterPositive’s owners potentially receiving additional payouts if certain performance milestones are met.

InterPositive builds tools designed to improve efficiency for filmmakers in post-production, including features that help address continuity problems or enhance scenes. The company does not create entirely new content or use footage without authorisation.

The acquisition aligns with Netflix’s broader strategy of incorporating AI into content production. The company has already used generative AI in its original films and series, including to create a building-collapse scene in the Argentine show “The Eternaut.”

Other major companies in the industry are taking similar steps. Amazon is developing internal AI teams for film and television projects, while Disney has entered into a deal with OpenAI.

Not everyone in the entertainment business supports the trend. Workers across the film industry have expressed concerns about potential job losses and whether creators are being compensated fairly when their work is used as training data for AI systems.