Ecosystem Radar

INSAIT and Netflix release VOID for smarter video editing

INSAIT, the Bulgaria-based AI research institute, and Netflix have released VOID, an open-source model for video editing. The tool is designed not only to remove objects from footage, but also to rebuild the scene in a way that accounts for motion, interactions, and environmental change.

BulgariaAIArtificial intelligenceOpen sourceResearch collaborationVideo editingUSA

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FTS Insights official • This is a useful ecosystem signal from Sofia. A Bulgaria-based research institute is not only publishing AI work, but doing so with a global media company and through an open-source release with clear applied use cases. For French Tech Sofia, that matters because it shows how regional research capacity can connect to international product problems, contribute to frontier tooling, and raise the visibility of Southeast Europe's AI ecosystem beyond startup fundraising news.

Key Takeaways
  • INSAIT is participating in applied AI work with international visibility.
  • Open-source video editing tools are becoming more context- and interaction-aware.
  • Hybrid pipelines are emerging as a practical way to build advanced AI products.
  • Bulgaria's ecosystem is gaining visibility through research as well as startups.
Why this matters
  • It gives a Sofia-based research institution visible exposure through a collaboration with Netflix.
  • It shows video editing AI is moving beyond object removal toward scene-level physical reconstruction.
  • It positions Bulgaria's AI ecosystem within a globally relevant applied research story.
  • The release highlights how hybrid model stacks are being assembled from multiple major AI systems.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

April 08, 2026

Netflix Collaborates with INSAIT to Launch Breakthrough AI Video Editing Tool

by The Recursive

Read coverage on The Recursive

Article Summary

Released on April 3 under an Apache 2.0 license, VOID stands for Video Object and Interaction Deletion. According to the source, the model was co-developed by researchers from INSAIT and Netflix, with the project led by researcher Saman Motamed. The release is described as Netflix Research's first publicly available AI tool.

What makes VOID notable is its focus on interaction-aware editing. Rather than simply erasing an object from a frame, the model is built to simulate how the rest of the scene should evolve after that removal. The source says it accounts for motion, object interactions, and environmental changes in a way that aims to reflect real-world physics.

The article also points to early performance signals. In a human preference study with 25 participants, VOID was selected 64.8% of the time, ahead of several existing tools. The system combines multiple components, including Meta's SAM2 for segmentation, Google's Gemini 3 Pro for scene analysis, and Alibaba's CogVideoX for video generation, around what the source calls a quadmask framework.

For Bulgaria's tech ecosystem, the collaboration matters because it places a Sofia-linked research institution inside a visible global AI release. It also reinforces INSAIT's role as a research actor with international partnerships and applied AI output, not only academic positioning.

Key Highlights

  • VOID was released on April 3 under an Apache 2.0 license.
  • The model was co-developed by Bulgaria-based INSAIT and Netflix.
  • VOID is designed to remove objects and rebuild scenes with physical consistency.
  • In a 25-person preference study, VOID was selected 64.8% of the time.
  • The system combines SAM2, Gemini 3 Pro, CogVideoX, and a quadmask framework.

Takeaway

VOID is more than a product release. It is a signal that Bulgaria's AI ecosystem can contribute to globally relevant tools through research partnerships, open-source output, and applied technical depth.

Read the full coverage on The Recursive(en)

About The Recursive

TheRecursive.com is a media platform covering startups, tech, and innovation across Southeast Europe, spotlighting entrepreneurs, trends, and ecosystem developments.

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INSAIT

INSAIT’s mission is to transform the world through excellence in science, research, and education.

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