Over the weekend, the internet exploded with debate over a new rising star — not a human, but an AI-generated actress named Tilly Norwood. Described as the "girl-next-door" and an "aspiring actress," Tilly is the digital creation of production company Particle6, founded by Eline Van der Velden.

With a growing social media presence and appearances in sketches, Tilly has already caught the attention of several talent agencies, according to Van der Velden, who recently spoke at an industry panel in Switzerland.

"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," said Van der Velden, according to Deadline.

But while Tilly's creators see her as a breakthrough in digital storytelling, many in the entertainment industry see something more troubling.

AI in entertainment: Innovation or invasion?

Van der Velden has positioned Tilly not as a threat to human performers but as a form of creative expression.

In a lengthy post on Norwood's Instagram page, Van der Velden defended the character, and insisted she was not a job killer.

"She is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work - a piece of art. Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity.

"I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool... AI offers another way to imagine and build stories."

She added that Particle6 aims to make Tilly the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman, proving that AI can eliminate traditional creative constraints, especially budget limitations.

However, many in the acting community aren't convinced — and they're not staying quiet.

Backlash from Hollywood

"Scream" actress Melissa Barrera said performers should boycott any talent agent involved in promoting the AI actress.

"Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$$. How gross, read the room," she wrote on Instagram.

Mara Wilson, who played the lead in "Matilda" in 1996, said such creations took work away from real people.

"And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her? You couldn't hire any of them?" she said on social media.

Their outrage highlights a growing concern within Hollywood — the fear that AI could replace real jobs in an already competitive industry. The use of artificial intelligence was one of the major sticking points during the writers' and actors' strikes that brought Hollywood to a standstill in 2023.

A bigger trend in AI-generated talent

Tilly Norwood isn't alone.

The use of AI has become increasingly visible in recent months in the creative industries, generating controversy each time.

The virtual band "The Velvet Sundown" surpassed one million listeners on streaming platform Spotify this summer.

In August, Vogue magazine published an advertisement featuring an AI-generated model.

With AFP inputs