During the recent Zurich Film Festival, Eline Van der Velden, the CEO of AI production company Particle6 and its subsidiary talent studio Xicoia, noted interest from several talent agents in Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated avatar presented as an “actress.” While Van der Velden did not disclose specific agencies, her comments sparked discussions within the entertainment industry, raising questions about the viability of AI representations in traditional acting roles.
Norwood is positioned as the first instance of multiple lifelike digital characters being developed by Xicoia. Van der Velden expressed ambitions for Tilly to be akin to prominent actresses like Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman. Tilly’s primary feature to date includes a role in a video parodying the TV production process titled “AI Commissioner.” This development brings to light broader inquiries into the role of AI-generated performances in the industry.
Tilly Norwood is not a sentient being but rather a digital construct created through an AI model trained on human performances. Reports indicate that Xicoia aims to develop interactive online experiences where Tilly could engage in unscripted dialogue, perform monologues, and adapt content for various platforms. While certain responses will be automated, they will still necessitate human oversight.
This raises critical questions about the nature of acting and the extent of creativity involved, as Tilly functions primarily as a digital puppet under human direction. The marketing strategies employed by Xicoia could potentially lead to a normalization of AI actors, prompting the industry to consider their place.
Despite the novelty surrounding Tilly Norwood, previous attempts to introduce AI-generated characters into popular culture, such as Aki Ross from Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, highlight the ongoing challenge of integrating these avatars in ways that resonate with audiences and industry professionals. The discussion also touches on concerns from entities like SAG-AFTRA, which argue that AI actors could threaten human jobs in performing arts, underscoring a pivotal debate about the future of creativity in the digital age.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/791680/tilly-norwood-particle6-xicoia-eline-van-der-velden