Netflix may have paid $600 million for Ben Affleck’s AI startup

In Brief

Last week, Netflix announced the acquisition of InterPositive, an AI institution co-founded by Ben Affleck that helps filmmakers edit footage successful post-production.

This woody could beryllium worthy up to $600 million, according to Bloomberg, perchance ranking it among the streaming giant’s largest acquisitions ever. The astir Netflix has ever paid for a azygous acquisition was astir $700 million for the Roald Dahl Story Company. 

While Netflix has not publically confirmed the details, sources archer Bloomberg that the existent currency outgo whitethorn beryllium lower, with the owners of InterPositive eligible for further payouts tied to circumstantial show targets. 

InterPositive makes tools that assistance filmmakers enactment much efficiently successful station accumulation — addressing continuity issues oregon enhancing scenes, for illustration — but it doesn’t make caller contented oregon usage footage without permission.

This acquisition fits Netflix’s broader propulsion to integrate AI into contented production. The institution has already used generative AI successful its archetypal shows and movies, including to make a building-collapse country successful the Argentine bid “The Eternaut.”

Rivals are moving successful the aforesaid direction. Amazon is gathering in-house AI teams for movie and TV projects, portion Disney has struck a woody with OpenAI.

Not everyone is connected board. Workers crossed the movie manufacture person raised concerns astir imaginable occupation losses and whether AI companies are compensating creators reasonably for grooming data.

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