A talent agency could be on the verge of signing an AI-generated actor in months, according to a Deadline report. But while news of this AI thespian has prompted a flurry of outraged responses, including Hollywood actors (entirely justified in my book), who’s gonna tell ‘em? It’s too late! Artificial humans are already here. From AI influencers, AI models, heck, even AI dating profiles, the AI-generated cat is out of the AI-generated bag.
It was only a matter of time before the world was introduced to an AI actor. And that ‘actor’ (note the inverted commas) is none other than Tilly Norwood.
This potential Academy Awards winner in the making, who I can definitely see in flicks such as Phony Booth, The Running Sham, The Incredible Hoax, Deception, Charlatan’s Web, and Layer Fake, is the brainchild of Particle6 founder / CEO Eline Van Der Velden. And I will admit, Tilly is pretty convincing. The AI-generated actor currently has 11.5K followers on an Instagram that boasts scarily realistic photos and videos. Sure, the uncanny valley is certainly present, but perhaps not as much as I’d expected.
The AI’s rather sassy bio states: “You’ll either get it or pretend you don’t. I’m a creation.” Well, it certainly sounds like plenty of people fall on the latter side of that particular coin. News of circling talent agencies has been met with something of an uproar from a growing number of industry professionals, as reported on by Variety, which also quotes a post by Van Der Velden on Tilly’s Instagram, which defends what she describes as a “creative work – a piece of art.” I can't necessarily argue with that, but what I strongly disagree with is the following passage from the same post.
“I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool – a new paintbrush. Just as animation, puppetry, or CGI opened fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting".
But I don't consider 100% AI generation a tool; it's a fully-formed entity. Animation, puppetry, and CGI didn’t take away from live acting because they never lost the human element. Animation requires a huge workforce, including concept artists, animators, colorists, and inkers. And puppetry and CGI are no different. And of course, all three disciplines require real, human voice actors.
And herein lies the problem with AI-generated 'actors' and 'models' – all you need is the person with the vision to prompt the AI and perhaps edit some of the footage or imagery. Beyond that, the human element is completely removed. You need look no further than the YouTube promo video (above) on Tilly's website, which opens with the following disclaimer: “The video you’re about to view is 100% AI Generated. No humans (or bears!) were harmed in the making of this production.” I rest my case... How can a video like this do anything but take away from live acting!?!?
I’ve seen enough AI-generated advertisements to know that commercial photographers and models, either directly or indirectly, have already been impacted, whether they realise it or not. And let me be clear here. I’m not an AI skeptic. I’m skeptical about how the creative industry and humanity as a whole chooses to use it. And this ain't it.
I see non-generative or ethical generative AI photo editing software in a similar light to traditional digital editing software, because it doesn’t remove the human element. The goal is more or less the same: make the editing process quicker and easier so you can realise your vision and get back to capturing imagery and footage. But pure AI-image generation is very different.
It’s time for creators and clients to decide whether or not they want to preserve the human element within the creative industry. After all, if that’s absent, I'm out. It's no longer art.
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Want to hear more of my AI ramblings? Photography will live and die by how transparent we choose to be about the images we create. I also think that AI-generated imagery poses a threat that isn't being talked about enough. If you want to photograph real people, here's how to take edgy fashion portraits with one light.
