Hollywood is grappling with a new and highly contentious entrant into its acting scene: Tilly Norwood, an entirely artificial intelligence-made character dubbed "Hollywood's first AI actor." Norwood is the brainchild of Xicoia, a company positioning itself as the world's inaugural artificial intelligence talent studio, founded by Dutch producer and comedian Eline Van der Velden.

Since Van der Velden launched Tilly Norwood's prospective career, the digital character has sparked significant discussion, predominantly negative, within the industry. Guilds, actors, and filmmakers have vehemently protested the concept, arguing that artificial intelligence should not assume starring roles in the acting profession. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) issued a strong statement, asserting that "creativity is, and should remain, human-centered." They clarified that 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor but a computer-generated character trained on the work of countless professional performers without their consent or compensation. The guild further emphasized that such AI creations lack life experience and emotion, and audiences have shown little interest in computer-generated content detached from the human experience.

The introduction of Tilly Norwood has ignited a firestorm among prominent actors. Melissa Barrera, known for "In the Heights" and "Scream," publicly criticized any agent considering representing Norwood, suggesting fellow actors should sever ties. Natasha Lyonne, star of "Russian Doll" and director of an upcoming feature titled "Uncanny Valley" which aims to use "ethical" AI with traditional filmmaking, called the concept "deeply misguided & totally disturbed," advocating for boycotts against any talent agency engaging in such representation.

Eline Van der Velden, also the founder of AI production studio Particle6, promoted Tilly Norwood at the Zurich Summit, part of the Zurich Film Festival. She claimed talent agencies were expressing interest and anticipated an announcement soon. In response to the backlash, Van der Velden defended Tilly Norwood on Instagram, stating, "she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work — a piece of art." She argued that AI characters should be judged as their own genre, likening the creation process to drawing, writing a role, or shaping a performance, requiring time, skill, and iteration. This statement was also shared on Tilly Norwood’s own Instagram account, which features photos of the AI character engaging in everyday activities and preparing for projects, garnering over 33,000 followers.

The debate around AI in film is not new. Artificial intelligence is often utilized as a tool in production, but its extensive implementation remains hotly contested. The lengthy SAG-AFTRA strike, which concluded in late 2023, largely hinged on AI protections, resulting in safeguards for actors' likenesses and performances. Similarly, a yearlong strike by video game actors led to a new contract mandating written permission for digital replicas. Recent controversies include the Oscar-winning 2024 film "The Brutalist," which used AI for Hungarian dialogue, prompting industry-wide discussion. The emergence of Tilly Norwood underscores the intensifying struggle between technological innovation and the preservation of human artistry in entertainment.