Ben Affleck has revealed that artificial intelligence was used for 'lots of things' in his new Netflix thriller Animals, while declining to say exactly what the technology was used for in the film.
Speaking about the movie, Affleck described his approach as using AI without replacing the people who make a film. He said the production used a proprietary dataset and argued that filmmakers should be able to use technology built around their own creative work, rather than relying on material taken from other creators.
His comments come as Animals prepares for its 9 October release in select cinemas and on Netflix, adding another layer to the film's arrival after his AI company InterPositive was acquired by the streamer earlier this year.
Ben Affleck Explains How AI Was Used In Animals
Speaking at Bloomberg's Screentime event and later to The Hollywood Reporter Affleck initially kept the details deliberately vague when discussing the film's AI use, saying he was hesitant to identify what the technology had been used for because filmmakers are trying to preserve the illusion created on screen.
'But yes, we did use it, and in fact, I thought it was a good example (of how to use AI ethically) because it's a very human movie,' he said.
At the film's premiere, Affleck gave a clearer explanation of the principle behind his approach. He said he would not use a system that had been trained on copyrighted work or material created by another artist without the appropriate basis for doing so.
'That was why we created a dataset that was proprietary, so that it wouldn't have to be extractive,' Affleck added.
He also said he has little interest in a future where people simply type instructions into an AI system and receive a finished movie. For Affleck, the creative process remains the reason audiences would want to watch a film in the first place.
Ben Affleck Says AI Should Support Filmmakers
Affleck said he wants AI to be used by companies that are guild signatories and have established relationships with the creative community, arguing that they can work with filmmakers and performers on issues such as permission and payment.
He specifically raised concerns about the treatment of image and likeness by some technology companies. His argument is that filmmaking tools should operate within a system where creative workers retain control over whether their work is used.
'This is a discrete set of tools. It's not about making fake people or replacing anybody, ever,' Affleck said. He described the technology as another post-production tool, adding that if audiences can clearly identify its use, he believes the result has failed in the same way as an ineffective visual effect or performance.
The approach also reflects Affleck's wider thinking about Artists Equity, the company he founded with Matt Damon, where he has spoken about ensuring people involved in successful projects are compensated in a clear way.
He said the same philosophy applies to AI, arguing that an actor or director who chooses to use the technology with their own creative contribution should not automatically have that work made available for others to use.
Affleck also pushed back against some of the more extreme claims surrounding AI. He said the technology remains fundamentally limited, describing it as neither magic nor sentient and rejecting the idea that it represents a form of superintelligence.
Animals, which Affleck directed, co-wrote and stars in alongside Kerry Washington, follows a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose son is kidnapped. The couple scramble to raise the ransom while confronting the consequences of the choices they make during the crisis. The film arrives in select cinemas and on Netflix on 9 October.
