My Favorite Actress Is Not Human Tilly Norwood doesn’t need a hairstylist, has no regrettable posts, and if you wish to see a virgin on-screen, this is one of your better chances. That’s because she’s AI.
“Not everyone is happy about this gorgeous innovation,” writes Tyler Cowen. (@tillynorwood via Instagram)
Tilly Norwood is the actress I most want to see on the big screen, or perhaps the little screen, if she gets her own TV show. She is beautiful, but not too intimidating. She has a natural smile, and is just the right amount of British—a touch exotic but still familiar with her posh accent. Her Instagram has immaculate standards of presentation. If you do not already know, Tilly is not an actual human being. She—it?—is an AI creation. And recently, several agents have been bidding for the right to represent her. They think Tilly will be a “hot property,” and this time around you can interpret that term literally. This article is featured in Tyler Cowen Must Know. Sign up here to get an update every time a new piece is published. Tilly was concocted by actress, comedian, and technologist Eline Van der Velden, working through her AI company Xicoia. (Van der Velden is quite real; she’s a Dutch actress and has a master’s degree in physics.) Not everyone is happy about this gorgeous innovation. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing performers in U.S. entertainment industries, protests. They state: “The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.” They also claim that Tilly’s makers are ripping off human actors, because presumably the creation of Tilly involved training on their performances. Or in SAG-AFTRA’s words: “. . . It creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”...
Become a paid subscriber Get access to our comments section, special columns like TGIF and Things Worth Remembering, tickets in advance to our live events, and more. UPGRADE TODAY |
