Hollywood Actors Express Outrage Over AI Character Tilly Norwood
The sudden rise to fame of Tilly Norwood, a computer-generated composite, has sparked intense reactions from Hollywood actors and filmmakers, including Emily Blunt, Whoopi Goldberg, and Natasha Lyonne. Norwood’s creator, Eline Van der Velden, has ignited a furor by announcing that the digital actor would soon be signed by a talent agency, raising concerns about the use and abuse of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry.
Norwood’s Instagram page, which boasts 44,000 followers, portrays her as an aspiring young actor based in London, with a passion for shopping and iced coffee. However, the sentiment that Norwood is feeling “very real emotions” has not been shared by many in Hollywood, where anxieties about AI replacing actors run deep. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, has dismissed Norwood as a “character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers.”
Concerns Over AI Protections and Copyright Infringement
SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin has expressed concerns that AI companies are using copyrighted material to train their models without compensation or permission. “They are taking our professional members’ work that has been created, sometimes over generations, without permission, without compensation and without acknowledgment, building something new,” Astin said. The union’s members engaged in a 118-day strike two years ago to fight for more AI protections in their contracts with major studios.
Tech companies have argued that they should be able to train their AI models on content available online under the “fair use” doctrine. However, this has fueled concerns that AI companies are using copyrighted material without permission. Earlier this year, Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery sued AI companies over copyright infringement. Some actors have called for a boycott of any agents who decide to represent Norwood, with “In the Heights” actor Melissa Barrera writing on Instagram, “Read the room, how gross.”
The Future of AI in the Entertainment Industry
Despite the backlash, Van der Velden believes that AI offers a new way to imagine and build stories, comparing it to animation, puppetry, or CGI. “I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool — a new paintbrush,” Van der Velden said. Talent agencies have represented digital characters used in ad campaigns, and the use of AI in visual effects is becoming increasingly common. However, the debate over AI’s role in the entertainment industry is far from over.
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, it is essential to consider the implications of AI on actors, writers, and other professionals. With the rise of AI characters like Tilly Norwood, it is crucial to address concerns over copyright infringement, fair use, and the potential displacement of human talent. For more information on this topic, visit Here.
Image Source: www.latimes.com
