Affleck: 'Animals' AI Won't Train on Copyrighted Work
Ben Affleck says his Netflix film Animals uses a proprietary AI dataset that avoids copyrighted work, and the movie hits select theaters and Netflix on October 9.
Ben Affleck used the Netflix premiere of his new film Animals on Thursday to lay out what he called an ethical approach to artificial intelligence in filmmaking. He said he would not use AI that trains on or learns from copyrighted work or the work of his peers.
To avoid that, Affleck said a proprietary dataset was created specifically for Animals so the AI would not be extractive. He also stressed that the technology in the film is not about making fake people or replacing anybody.
Animals opens in select theaters and begins streaming on Netflix on October 9.
The premiere remarks add detail to comments Affleck made earlier in the week. At Bloomberg's Screentime event on Wednesday, he said he used AI for lots of things in Animals and was hesitant to specify them, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The film arrives as Affleck's ties to the AI business deepen. Earlier in 2026, he sold his AI company InterPositive to Netflix for nearly $600 million.
Quick answers
When does Animals come out?
Animals hits select theaters and starts streaming on Netflix on October 9.
How did Ben Affleck address AI concerns for Animals?
He said he would not use AI that trains on or learns from copyrighted work or the work of peers, and that a proprietary dataset was created for the film so the AI would not be extractive.
Is AI replacing actors in Animals?
Affleck said the AI use in the film is not about making fake people or replacing anybody.