Woman behind AI “actress” Tilly Norwood is trying to create dozens more synthetic performers, despite widespread condemnation her original creation.
Actress and technologist Elin van der Veldenwhich founded artificial intelligence production studio Particle 6, told Deadline that it intends to “create 40 very diverse new characters build [Tilly’s] universe and play in this AI genre with a completely new cast” for his AI talent studio Xicoia.
“There are some in development, but none of them are ready for release. It takes a long time to get something that I'm happy with,” Van der Velden said, noting that Tilly is about a six-month “ongoing process.”
There is news about additional characters will likely be met with backlash by many in Hollywood, including members of the SAG-AFTRA union, who have already denounced Tilly as a dangerous creature who could end up push real actors out of the industrywhile those behind AI profit from the past performances of unpaid stars.
At the end of September, the Screen Actors Guild, whose 118-day break from work in 2023 was partly related to concerns about artificial intelligence – spoke out against Tilly and similar “actors”, saying that “creativity is and should remain human-centered.”
” the union opposes the replacement of human performers “Tillie Norwood” is not an actor, but a character created by a computer program that was trained from the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation. He has no life experience, no emotions.”
But Van der Velden denied that claim, telling Deadline that her characters “do not use anyone's likeness without fair compensation or explicit consent.” She also tried to quell concerns about what AI means for the arts and the entertainment job market.
“Tilly is not going to take your job,” she said. “I firmly believe that there are three genres: animation, traditional live action and the AI genre. Tilly was always meant to be in her AI genre, and that's where she will stay.”
Van der Velden further argued that her business actually supports traditional filmmaking by helping “cut budgets so projects can boost creativity using real actors.”
“Plus, there’s an environmental element,” she said. “If you use AI for certain shots, you reduce your carbon footprint by 80 to 90 percent. In some cases, it's also safer. Xicoia is really an extension of the AI universe and the world of AI. And that's where Tilly lives, and that's where she should stay.”
