Affleck says AI was used on Animals but gives no details

Ben Affleck said he used artificial intelligence for multiple purposes while making Animals, his upcoming Netflix film, but declined to specify how the technology was applied. He described the movie as a good example of ethical AI use and as a very human film, though the details available do not allow that assessment to be independently evaluated. Affleck made the remarks during a conversation at Bloomberg’s 2026 Screentime event. He said he was hesitant to identify the uses because filmmakers seek to preserve the illusion of reality, comparing a disclosure to a magician revealing how a trick works. He confirmed that AI was used on the film but did not name particular tools, tasks or stages of production. The omission leaves the scale and nature of the technology’s role unclear. No production records or further details in the available information establish what AI contributed to Animals, or how its use affected the finished film. Affleck’s characterization of the process as ethical is his own assessment, rather than a conclusion supported by disclosed production details.