Love or hate it, AI is likely here to stay. There's already been a great deal of controversy surrounding its use in Hollywood, with many actors rejecting the notion of its use in films and TV shows.
Still, AI studios are popping up everywhere, and studio heads have openly acknowledged that they're exploring ways to use the technology to hasten the production process (and, crucially, reduce costs).
Eline Van der Velden is behind AI talent studio Xicoia, and has confirmed—via Deadline—that they are in talks with several talent agents who wish to sign its first creation, AI actress Tilly Norward.
"We were in a lot of boardrooms around February time, and everyone was like, 'No, this is nothing. It’s not going to happen,'" Van der Velden said. "Then, by May, people were like, 'We need to do something with you guys.' When we first launched Tilly, people were like, 'What’s that?', and now we’re going to be announcing which agency is going to be representing her in the next few months."
These comments come after the studio head revealed that Xicoia would create, manage and monetise a new generation of hyperreal digital stars, who can presumably be inserted into any movie or TV show.
Van der Velden added, "I remember having meetings with the studios as an AI artist before joining Luma. Some said, 'Oh, no, we’re not using AI.' I knew some were lying, they were already secretly working on some stuff, but some were not open to it at all. Then definitely this year, kind of like March, April, people called me and wanted to talk to me."
"They were discussing me being a liaison between directors and the AI artists," she continued. "Historically, the studios have been very slow to adapt, at least publicly, they need that influx of new creatives and new creative technologists to come in and actually show them how it’s done. You can assume that a lot of them are already working on it."
If this pans out, it could be a game-changer for Hollywood. It's hard to imagine major studios releasing titles with an entirely AI cast, but the option is going to be there for them.
It surely won't be too long before one of them announces that an AI actor has joined the cast of a movie with an otherwise human ensemble, because in these early days, that'll be quite a gimmick.
Tilly Norwood has a website and social media accounts. On the former, Van der Velden has just shared a statement addressing some of the online backlash (The Fantastic Four: First Steps star Ralph Ineson, for example, shared the news alongside a succinct "F*** off").