because device makers will not care for the DRM, but will care for the hardware decoder they need to decide to put into their devices to decode netflix videos. By ensuring this video codec is open, it benefits everybody else now, as this same device will now be able to hardware decode _more_ videos from different video providers, as well as make more video providers choose AV1.

Basically, a network effect for an open codec.

> Why does it matter if Netflix is using an open standard if every video they stream is wrapped in proprietary closed DRM?

I am not sure if this is a serious question, but I'll bite in case it is.

Without DRM Netflix's business would not exist. Nobody would license them any content if it was going to be streamed without a DRM.