LOS ANGELES, California: Netflix said it has acquired InterPositive, a filmmaking technology company founded by actor and director Ben Affleck that develops artificial intelligence tools for movie production.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The deal highlights a growing shift in the media industry toward embracing AI for filmmaking and storytelling, after earlier concerns in Hollywood that the technology could threaten creative jobs and intellectual property rights.

Last year, Disney signaled a similar shift by announcing plans to allow OpenAI to use characters from its Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel franchises in the startup's Sora AI video generator.

"We believe new tools should expand creative freedom, not constrain it or replace the work of writers, directors, actors, and crews," Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said.

The purchase marks Netflix's first acquisition since it withdrew from a bidding war for Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming assets. The company stepped back after a rival Paramount Skydance offer was deemed superior.

Affleck founded InterPositive in 2022. The company built an AI model designed to understand visual logic and editorial continuity, while adhering to traditional cinematic rules, even amid production challenges such as missing shots or lighting errors.

"We also built in restraints to protect creative intent, so the tools are designed for responsible exploration while keeping creative decisions in the hands of artists," Affleck said.

Affleck, the director and star of the Oscar-winning film "Argo," will join Netflix as a senior advisor following the acquisition.