Hollywood actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck has revealed that artificial intelligence was used for "lots of things" in his upcoming Netflix movie, "Animals". However, he is deliberately refusing to identify exactly where audiences will encounter it. Affleck made these comments during an interview with Bloomberg Screentime, citing concerns that disclosing the details would undermine the illusion filmmakers work to create for viewers.
Affleck compared revealing AI use to a magician revealing the secrets behind a trick before performing it. He emphasized that his business aims to foster the illusion of reality. The actor confirmed that AI played a significant role in the production of "Animals", particularly during post-production. This helped the team complete certain tasks faster and achieve things that might otherwise have been difficult.
"Animals" is not a visual-effects-heavy science-fiction film, but rather a "very human movie". The Netflix film, which Affleck directed and co-wrote, is scheduled for release on October 9. He also stars as Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped, while Kerry Washington plays his wife. The movie's plot revolves around the kidnapping and the candidate's subsequent actions.
Affleck's comments come months after Netflix acquired his artificial intelligence company, InterPositive, for $587 million. The actor founded the company in 2022 and served as its chief executive before the acquisition. He now works with the company in a senior advisory role. InterPositive was designed to allow filmmakers to train individual AI models while making their own movies.
Affleck expressed concerns about existing AI systems, which he believes have been trained using the creative works of filmmakers and other artists without proper protection of their ownership. He stressed that InterPositive is designed differently, preserving the proprietary nature of a filmmaker's work rather than simply absorbing creative material into a wider model. This approach aims to protect the rights of creators.
Affleck rejected fears that AI would eventually eliminate filmmakers and other creative professionals. He believes audiences will not embrace a future where someone simply types instructions into a computer and receives a finished movie worth watching. Instead, he argued that Hollywood should integrate AI technology into established film-industry structures, where performers, writers, and other creatives have contractual protections.
The integration of AI into the film industry is a topic of ongoing debate. Affleck emphasized the importance of bringing AI technology into established structures, rather than allowing technology companies outside Hollywood to dominate the tools and weaken the bargaining power of the creative industry. The release of "Animals" on October 9 will likely spark further discussion about the role of AI in filmmaking.
Key points
- Ben Affleck confirms AI use in new movie "Animals" but refuses to disclose details.
- Affleck's AI company, InterPositive, was acquired by Netflix for $587 million.
- Affleck argues that Hollywood should integrate AI technology into established film-industry structures to protect creative professionals.
