AI Actress Sparks Debate: Creator Defends ‘Full Character‘ of Virtual star Tilly Norwood
the creation of Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated actress signed to a digital talent agency, has ignited a fierce debate about the future of performance and the very definition of authorship. Eline Van der Velden,founder of Particle 6 – the studio behind Norwood – is pushing back against criticism that presenting Tilly as a fully-realized individual is deceptive,arguing that building a thorough personality is essential to compelling character creation,even in the digital realm.
The controversy stems from the perception that portraying an AI as possessing agency and the ability to enter into contracts blurs the lines between human and synthetic entities. this raises questions about intellectual property, labor rights in the evolving entertainment landscape, and the potential for AI to displace human actors. Van der Velden and Particle 6 are now navigating a surge of interest and project opportunities for Tilly, while together addressing concerns about the ethical implications of their work and the accessibility of creating similarly complex AI characters.
“I think people were reacting to the idea that she’s a person and that she has agency as opposed to being a synthetic character,” Van der Velden explained. “I think that’s what people were freaking out about – the way it was presented.” She emphasizes that her approach mirrors traditional character growth. “That is my idea for Tilly, right? It’s not to build a hollow image. Just like any character in a drama or a TV series,you would create their full character,wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t just leave them as an empty shell. So we are building a whole personality and her backstory and her brain. And that’s a creative pursuit. It’s captivating - to build the full character of her.”
The signing of Tilly Norwood to an agency further fueled the debate, prompting questions about the legality and practicality of an AI entering into contractual agreements. Van der Velden acknowledges the unusual nature of the arrangement but stresses the need for depiction to manage the growing number of projects and branded opportunities. “If you’re creating a person and a personality, you would want there to be someone to manage all the influx – we have a lot of projects now, and then branded opportunities. We still are talking to a lot of them. But somebody who really understands that digital space is what we want.”
While acknowledging that the tools to create AI characters are becoming more widely available, Van der velden asserts that achieving a truly resonant and visually compelling result remains a significant challenge.”This is the thing.A lot of people try. But to create someone resonant is a very different thing – and to make them look that good. so I encourage everybody to try all these tools. And then once they start working with these tools, they go, ‘Oh, this is quite hard.’ And then they need an expert team to work on their film or their character. And that’s when they come to us.”