Ben Affleck Reveals He Used AI Tools Throughout the Production of ‘Animals’

Ben Affleck has confirmed utilizing artificial intelligence in his upcoming film Animals. In an interview with Bloomberg Screentime, he stated he “used it for lots of things in that movie.”

“I’m a little hesitant to specify what they are, or even discuss it, because in my industry, we’re trying to foster the illusion of reality,” Affleck explained. “It’s like going to a magic show and having the magician step out and say, ‘Before I start, I want you to know there’s another bunny under here. This guy’s a plant.’ That sort of ruins the trick, right?”

He continued, “But yes, we did use it. I think it serves as a good example because it’s a very human story. It’s not set in space and doesn’t rely on visual effects. However, it allowed us to move more quickly in some instances, primarily in post-production, to accomplish things we otherwise couldn’t have done.”

Animals, arriving on Netflix on Oct. 9, was directed and co-written by Affleck. He stars as Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball, whose son is kidnapped, with Kerry Washington portraying his wife.

Affleck sold his AI company InterPositive to Netflix in March for $587 million. The actor and filmmaker founded the company in 2022 and served as its CEO, though he now holds a senior advisor role. During the interview, he discussed the company’s work, including how he trained the AI model and how it differs from other models.

“I was concerned that most models being used had trained on the work of my peers—people I know—and I was uncomfortable with that,” he said. “I thought, ‘That’s not really a viable business.’ So I created that final layer, which focused on an understanding of cinema and cinematic components.”

He explained that the workflow is designed to “train from a filmmaker while they’re making their movie,” allowing the filmmaker to retain the “proprietary nature” of the work. “They benefit from the learning they’re creating,” Affleck said. “They train their own discrete model. … It’s meant [to not] replace people, not eliminate. I don’t believe there will ever be just type it in and make a movie that people want to see.”

Affleck also discussed his approach to AI with The Hollywood Reporter at the film’s premiere. “What I’m trying to do is bring this technology into our business, into a space where companies that are guild signatories and have relationships with the creative community won’t just put you in a movie without your permission or payment,” he said. “That can’t be said for many tech platforms that abandon this technology, allowing others to dominate it and weaken us.”

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