00:00The debate over artificial intelligence in Hollywood is heating up once again. SAG-AFTRA
00:04has slammed a newly launched AI talent studio, warning that creativity is and should remain
00:10human-centered. Over the weekend, Dutch founder Elien van der Velden unveiled Shakoya, described
00:16as the world's first AI talent studio at the Zurich Film Festival. The studio's debut character,
00:21computer-generated actress Tilly Norwood, immediately sparked backlash after news broke
00:26that the studio was looking to get Norwood representation. However, van der Velden
00:30later said in an Instagram post, quote, she is not a replacement for a human being. SAG-AFTRA,
00:36the U.S. labor union that represents actors and other talent, has now weighed in in a lengthy
00:41statement, saying, quote, the union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.
00:46The union went on to say, to be clear, Tilly Norwood is not an actor. It is a character generated
00:52by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers,
00:57without permission or compensation. It doesn't solve any problem. It creates the problem of using
01:03stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing
01:08human artistry. The statement further reminded producers that synthetic performers cannot be
01:13used without notice and bargaining, per SAG-AFTRA's contractual obligations. Several actors,
01:18including Melissa Barrera, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Lucas Gage, Mara Wilson, and Toni Collette,
01:24have spoken out against the creation of Norwood, echoing concerns over technology replacing authentic
01:30human storytelling. However, van der Velden defended her business, saying, just as animation,
01:35puppetry, or CGI opened fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting, AI offers another way to
01:42imagine and build stories. I am an actor myself, and nothing, certainly not an AI character, can take
01:48away the craft or joy of human performance. For more on this story, head over to thehollywoodreporter.com.
01:54This is The Hollywood Reporter News.
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