SAG-AFTRA has slammed a newly-launched AI talent studio in a statement released Tuesday, saying: “Creativity is, and should remain, human-centered.”
Over the weekend, the creator of the computer-generated actress Tilly Norwood responded to critics after news broke that her studio was looking to get Norwood representation.
Eline Van der Velden, Dutch founder of AI outfit Particle 6 Productions, announced at Zurich Film Festival the launch of Xicoia, “the world’s first artificial intelligence talent studio.” She was met with outrage, however, and later said in an Instagram post: “She is not a replacement for a human being.”
SAG-AFTRA, the U.S. labor union that represents actors and other talent, has now weighed in via a statement: “The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.”
“To be clear, “Tilly Norwood” is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation,” said SAG-AFTRA. “It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we’ve seen, audiences aren’t interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience. It doesn’t solve any ‘problem’ — it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”
“Additionally,” the statement continued, “signatory producers should be aware that they may not use synthetic performers without complying with our contractual obligations, which require notice and bargaining whenever a synthetic performer is going to be used.”
The looming threat of AI has continued to panic the film and TV industry, and regulations around the craft became a linchpin clause through the SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. Though AI’s use in the industry already spans a myriad of visual effects tools, many still worry that AI could, one day, replace actors — or at least illegally use their likeness.
Melissa Barrera, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Lukas Gage, Mara Wilson and Toni Colette were among the stars condemning the news of Norwood’s possible signing.
Van der Velden defended her business on Sunday, saying: “I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool, a new paintbrush. She said: “Just as animation, puppetry, or CGI opened fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting, AI offers another way to imagine and build stories. I’m an actor myself, and nothing — certainly not an AI character — can take away the craft or joy of human performance…. Creating Tilly has been, for me, an act of imagination and craftmanship, not unlike drawing a character, writing a role or shaping a performance.”
