# Streaming Giants Pivot to AI and Short-Form Video

**Podcast:** TechCrunch Daily Crunch
**Published:** 2026-03-13

## Transcript

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Netflix may have just paid $600 million for Ben Affleck's AI startup.
I remember on Shaking You Friday Daily Crunch, featuring three big tech headlines.
Starts right now.
It's looking like Disney Plus is starting to roll out Vert, its new short-form video feed to US users on its mobile app.
First announced all the way back in January, the TikTok like Vert's feed features scenes and moments from movies and TV shows on Disney Plus.
Now, following the success of TikTok and Instagram Reels, Verts is designed to boost daily engagement and reach mobile first viewers, all while increasing discovery across Disney Plus's catalog.
Users will be able to access the feed through a new icon in the app's navigation bar.
Now, as users swipe through the feed, they can add shows to their watch list or just jump directly into the show or movie.
While Vertz is starting as a way to showcase clips from content on Disney Plus, the company says it'll eventually feature content from creators that reflects our fandoms plus other storytelling formats, content types, and personalized experiences.
Now, Disney's investment in the algorithm for Virts makes total sense, as TikTok's success can be attributed to the effectiveness of its recommendation algorithm.
Now, of course, Disney Plus isn't the first streamer to explore vertical video, because Netflix launched a vertical feed last year that lets users scroll through clips from its original titles.
Dating app maker Bumble is venturing into generative AI.
During the company's fourth quarter earnings on Wednesday, Bumble introduced a new AI assistant, it's calling, can you guess, Bee, designed to become a personal matchmaker that learns users' values, relationship goals, communication style, lifestyle, and dating intentions through private chats.
It then uses those insights to help find the user more relevant matches.
Now, currently, B is in the pilot phase and being tested internally, so said Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolf Heard to investors, but it's launching into beta soon.
Now, with B, the company envisions being able to capture much more information about Bumble users as it learns more about each individual story and you know what they really want.
This could differentiate Bumble's app from others, like Tinder, which also just underwent an overhaul as the dating app market has fizzled with the Gen Z users, by the way.
Bumble says users will interact with B much like they do with other AI chatbots through typing and speaking in a more conversational style.
Initially, B will be used to power a new dating experience called Dates that uses AI to recommend matches, but in the future, Bumble says B will move into other areas, like offering date suggestions or requesting anonymous feedback from your prior matches.
The addition is part of a broader tech and AI focused overhaul of the dating app, which to date has marketed itself as more focused on women's needs.
Netflix may have just paid $600 million for Ben Affleck's AI startup.
You see, last week, Netflix announced the acquisition of Interpositive, an AI company co-founded by Ben Affleck that helps filmmakers edit footage in post-production.
Now, this deal could be worth up to $600 million, according to Bloomberg, potentially ranking it among the streaming giants' largest acquisitions ever.
The most Netflix has ever paid for a single acquisition was approximately $700 million for the Roll Doll Story Company.
Of course, while Netflix has not publicly confirmed the details, sources tell Bloomberg that the actual cash payment may be lower, with the owners of Interpositive eligible for additional payouts tied to specific performance targets.
As for Interpositive, well, it makes tools that help filmmakers work more efficiently in post-production, addressing continuity issues or enhancing scenes, for example, but it doesn't generate new content or use footage without permission.
Now, overall, this acquisition fits Netflix's broader push to integrate AI into content production.
The company's already used generative AI in its original shows and movies, including to create a building collapse scene in the Argentine series The Eternot.
Rivals are moving in the same direction.
Amazon is building in-house AI teams for film and TV projects, while Disney has struck a deal with OpenAI.
And as is the controversy surrounding AI, not everyone is on board.
Workers across the film industry have raised concerns about potential job losses and whether AI companies are compensating creators fairly.com.
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