Ben Affleck's Animals film sparks controversy over AI use

Ben Affleck's new Netflix thriller, ‘Animals’, has drawn criticism from viewers and social media users regarding its use of artificial intelligence in visual effects. Critics have pointed to a specific stunt scene involving a child being rescued from a drainage canal, claiming the sequence looks unconvincing and appears to be a low-cost AI-generated substitute for traditional animation and practical effects.

Affleck, who directed, wrote, and starred in the film, has openly acknowledged the use of AI in the production. Speaking at a Bloomberg summit, he compared the use of such technology to a magician’s tricks, stating that filmmakers often keep the specifics of AI integration secret to maintain the illusion of reality for the audience. He maintained that the technology was used ethically and that the film remains a human-centric story.

Reports indicate that Affleck’s startup, InterPositive, was involved in the production. The company develops AI tools designed to assist with post-production tasks such as adjusting lighting, optics, and continuity errors by training models on footage shot specifically for a given production. While Netflix has emphasized that the film was shot in and around Los Angeles to support the local industry, the extent of synthetic generation in the film's environments remains unconfirmed.