Actor Ben Affleck used AI in the film Animals — Rolling Stone

Actor and director Ben Affleck confirmed that he used artificial intelligence while working on the upcoming film Animals, which he also directed and co-wrote. He said this in an interview with Bloomberg Screentime, Rolling Stone reports.

Affleck did not specify which tasks the technology was used for. According to him, he does not want to reveal details because the film industry seeks to preserve the illusion of reality for viewers. At the same time, the director noted that AI helped make work faster in some cases, mainly at the post-production stage, and accomplish what would otherwise have been impossible.

Plot and premiere

Animals will be released on Netflix on October 9. Affleck plays Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimbell, whose son is kidnapped. His wife in the film is played by Kerry Washington. Affleck called the film a very human story whose events do not take place in space and which has no visual effects.

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Approach to using AI

In March, Affleck sold his AI company InterPositive to Netflix for $587 million. He founded InterPositive in 2022 and served as its CEO, and after the deal became a senior adviser.

Affleck explained that the company's approach involves training a separate model while a director is working on a film. According to him, this is meant to preserve the creator's control over the results of creative work, and the technology itself is not intended to replace people. He also said he does not believe a system will emerge that only needs to be given a command to create a film that is interesting to viewers. At the premiere of Animals, Affleck said he seeks to introduce the technology through companies that have agreements with creative guilds and will not use people's likenesses without their permission and compensation.