In the late 2010s, the Dead Internet Theory emerged from the depths of social media. The theory was simple, sometime in 2016, the entire internet ‘died’ in the sense that a majority of content from that point on has not been real. A couple years ago, that would’ve sounded crazy.
However, in the past two years or so, things have changed in unimaginable ways. What was originally just an unnerving conspiracy theory has slowly inserted itself into our lifestyle. For a while, like many assumed, it was just on the internet. Now, even something as delicate and vulnerable as the film industry isn’t safe anymore.
Tilly Norwood was created by Xicoia, an AI ‘talent’ agency based in London, England. And at first sight, what’s not to love? She’s pretty, has a charming online persona, pretty much everything wanted in a celebrity.
But she is not an actress. She’s nothing more than a character created by the computers we call our companions. Like ChatGPT with a disturbingly beautiful face.
As a matter of fact, real actors are both shocked and upset. “What infuriates Pinchot and a lot of other actors is that artificial creations like Tilly-dearest wouldn’t be possible without machine learning. And those machines learned their “craft” by synthesizing the work of living, breathing actors,” says The Los Angeles Times. To many, this is infuriating, professional actors would understandably be very disappointed in the entertainment industry for allowing this to happen. Why would a few lines of code get to come out of nowhere and take something that real people worked so hard for?
An interview with Variety reveals even more insight,“Does it disappoint me? I don’t know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is,” says actress Emily Blunt. When she was shown a photo of Norwood, Blunt said, “No, are you serious? That’s an AI? Good Lord, we’re screwed. That is really, really scary, Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection.”
Actor or not, nobody should be okay with this. It would be concerning if they were. We’re living in a time where technology rules the world. That’s not going away any time soon. Either way, it’s our job to make sure that reality doesn’t progress any further. AI used to only be a concern for homework. Academic integrity, though important, is nothing compared to this. It’s not just jobs at stake now: it’s humanity.
And if any actor is reading this, keep fighting for what’s right. Continue to stand up for talent, for television, for passion. Most of all, remember you’re a star and never stop shining.
