Are you shooting a film or commercial but cannot afford expensive actors? AI talent studio Xicoia has the solution! You can rent a digital, hyper-realistic celebrity who will do everything according to the script. The first of them is Tilly Norwood, who has already caused quite a stir.
Xicoia: A Talent Studio for AI Celebrities
Behind the Xicoia project is Eline Van Der Velden, a 39-year-old actress, producer, and founder of Particle6. She has now decided to explore what the world of show business would look like if it featured personalities created by artificial intelligence. She unveiled her new AI talent studio at the recent Zurich Film Festival.
According to Eline Van Der Velden, AI celebrities created using DeepFame technology and managed by the Xicoia studio are not only intended to look realistic, but also to speak, respond spontaneously to fans, and continue developing their personalities.
The goal of this project is to offer actors who do not age and do not demand ever-higher fees, saving production companies money. They can also cover a wide range of media, from film and advertising to social media.
Tilly Norwood, the First AI Celebrity
The first face of the new project is the AI personality Tilly Norwood, who was created entirely with the help of artificial intelligence. Aside from the comedy sketch AI Commissioner, she has not yet landed any major commercial projects, but she has already amassed tens of thousands of fans on social media. The clip itself has already received nearly half a million views.
The company also plans to eventually add up to 40 more AI characters to its portfolio. Its aim is to create a comprehensive universe of AI personalities that will be available to productions at any time.
Hollywood’s Fierce Reaction
The unveiling of the AI talent studio and actress Tilly Norwood immediately sparked controversy. The major actors’ union SAG-AFTRA immediately condemned her existence. Its main argument was that she is not a real actress and that all her abilities are derived from training data, namely the behavior and performances of real actors. The union therefore considers it immoral to give a role to an AI character instead of the real people whose performances were used for training. According to the union, acting should remain the domain of real people.
The matter was also addressed by actresses such as Emily Blunt and Whoopi Goldberg. According to them, the new project is frightening, and audiences will never be able to form as deep an emotional connection with a digital character as they can with a real person. Technology communities, on the other hand, admire the entire project and see it as an opportunity to push the boundaries of visual art.
Are AI Personalities the Future of the Film Industry?
Some people consider AI Commissioner a remarkable achievement, while others are skeptical about whether studios will have any genuine interest in AI avatars. At present, their performances are technically impressive, but their acting is not entirely convincing, and their unnatural facial movements contribute to the so-called “uncanny valley” effect.
It is still impossible to predict whether Tilly Norwood and other AI actors will become a common choice for film studios and attract millions of fans on social media. What is certain, however, is that an entirely new debate has begun, one that will intensify over time. AI stars may not only stand alongside real actors, presenters, and influencers, but may even compete with them for the attention of studios and the public. Whether we are heading into an era of synthetic celebrities, however, will be determined by time and further technological progress.
Source: Deadline, The Guardian, The Verge, IBC, Vanity Fair
