Hollywood today is in turmoil over AI, though there is no stopping it. Whenever a film or TV show admits to using AI in production, critics rush to condemn it. The news that an AI actor named Tilly Norwood is now seeking representation only stoked the controversy further. Norwood, the creation of actress and tech entrepreneur Eline Van der Velden, cannot feel anything, but if it could, it might be overwhelmed by the backlash. Despite this, Van der Velden shows no signs of slowing down her push to elevate Norwood’s status in the entertainment world. In fact, Van der Velden has far grander plans that make things feel downright unsettling.
At the Zurich Summit, Van der Velden spoke about Norwood’s current standing in the industry. Agencies have reportedly shown interest in representing what is now called the first AI actress. However, Van der Velden quickly attempted to make it clear that Norwood will remain confined to what she calls the “AI genre.” She has no intention of pitting Norwood against live human actors on traditional sets. “I feel strongly that there are three genres: animation, traditional live action and the AI genre,” Van der Velden said. “Tilly was always meant to be in her AI genre, and that’s where she’ll stay.”
Van der Velden also revealed her company’s plans to develop as many as 40 AI characters to populate an entire universe within this AI genre. Although some AI actors are in development, none are ready for public release. The process takes time before these digital creations meet her standards. This signals a future filled with AI performers acting alongside or instead of human counterparts but still separated into their own category. The slop will not be stopped.
When asked about the impact on jobs, Van der Velden steered the conversation toward the medical field. She notes how AI once threatened to render radiologists obsolete, but instead tech advancements in radiology expanded the field and created more work for doctors. Still, the entertainment industry is different. AI can cut costs dramatically by replacing humans in some roles. Van der Velden admits that industry shifts happen and jobs evolve or disappear. “Our jobs are not what they were,” she said. “In the 1900s, none of our jobs existed. I can’t protect everyone from that.”
Van der Velden claims many young actors are eager to participate in AI projects and even want their likeness digitized to appear in future productions. Top actors, especially those older or less able to attend sets in person, also express interest in creating digital twins for work, with proper consent and pay. However, Van der Velden does not foresee AI characters fully replacing live-action performers on screen anytime soon. She believes traditional film and TV will continue, perhaps indefinitely, as a separate genre. She wants real actors to remain visible in primetime entertainment and thinks the AI genre will move at its own pace, separate but expanding.
The reality is that AI-driven movie production is here to stay. Attempts to halt it seem futile given the ambitions of creators like Van der Velden. Whether this results in creative progress or a cold, artificial takeover of art remains to be seen. For now, Hollywood must face the eerie future of AI actors carving their own niche and reshaping storytelling forever. How can it be stopped now?
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English (US) · 