Netflix confirms $587 million cash deal for Ben Affleck’s AI firm
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Netflix has confirmed it paid approximately $587 million in cash to acquire InterPositive, the artificial intelligence company founded by actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck, closing out months of speculation since the deal was first announced in March 2026. The figure, disclosed in a securities filing, resolved the last unanswered question about an acquisition that had otherwise been shrouded in secrecy, and it underlined how heavily Netflix is investing in generative AI tools to reshape filmmaking and post-production.
The price appeared in Netflix's form 10-Q filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, describing the purchase as a "business combination" completed in March 2026, though it stopped short of naming InterPositive directly; the same figure had also been included in the Q1 filing made in May. Affleck founded the company in 2022 to develop AI tools that streamline visual effects while preserving human creative control over writing, directing, acting and production design, and he committed to serve as a senior advisor under the deal. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said generative AI is now used in around 300 of the company's productions, mostly in post-production, citing the Tom Hanks-backed documentary The American Experiment, where 17 minutes of "AI-enhanced" footage were produced twice as fast and at half the cost of traditional methods.
- Netflix paid $587 million cash for Affleck's AI firm InterPositive
- Deal, announced in March 2026, finally has a disclosed price
- Netflix says generative AI now used across roughly 300 productions
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Netflix is a major streaming company that makes and distributes films and television programmes around the world. Like other studios, it is exploring artificial intelligence tools that can help with tasks such as visual effects, editing and other work carried out after filming.
Ben Affleck is an American actor, director and producer who has also invested in film technology. His company, InterPositive, was set up to develop AI systems intended to speed up production work while leaving creative decisions with filmmakers and performers.
The wider issue is how quickly AI is becoming part of screen production, and what that could mean for costs, jobs and creative control. Studios see potential savings and faster workflows, while many workers and audiences are watching closely to see how the technology is used.
More coverage
- Variety — Netflix Paid $587 Million for Ben Affleck’s AI Startup InterPositive
- Deadline — Netflix Says It Paid $587 Million For Ben Affleck AI Firm InterPositive, Confirming Previously Reported Estimate
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Originally published by The Hollywood Reporter as “Netflix Paid $587 Million for Ben Affleck’s AI Company”.