Emily Blunt and Whoopi Goldberg have all stepped into the roaring debate shaking Hollywood’s foundations. At the eye of this digital storm is Tilly Norwood, a shiny new AI star brought to life by Xicoia, a studio blurring the once-clear lines between silicon and silver screen. It seems Hollywood’s latest star is not flesh and blood but code and pixels, simultaneously fascinating and freaking out the industry about what "real acting" means in a world obsessed with AI.

When Hollywood’s finest start sounding like extras from a sci-fi thriller, you know Tilly Norwood’s digital debut is rattling more than just circuits.

Eline Van der Velden, founder of the AI talent studio Xicoia and CEO of Particle 6, was quick to remind everyone that Tilly Norwood is "not a replacement for humans" but to "expand creative possibilities." Her statement, released by Particle 6, likened AI to a "new paintbrush", joining the illustrious ranks of animation, puppetry, and CGI—because apparently, if computers can paint, they deserve an Oscar too. Van der Velden underscored that it took serious "time, skill, and iteration" to craft Tilly, stressing this is "experimentation, not substitution." 

As the industry figures weighed in, Emily Blunt did not hold back, saying on the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, "No, are you serious? That’s an AI?" she voiced out in disbelief. She called the situation "really, really scary", and asked agencies not to do that and to "stop taking away our human connection." Meanwhile, Whoopi Goldberg, ever the sharp wit on The View, warned viewers that the actors "won’t have any connection" to AI performers. Goldberg  pointed out the glaring flaw: "our faces and bodies move differently."

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Fans seem torn between applauding the future and digging their bunkers, with Tilly’s AI stardom feeling suspiciously like a real-world dystopia knocking at the studio door.

Fans, per usual, are divided between awe and horror. Be it AI ads plaguing their favorite streamers or the Old Guard 2 waterboarding its reputation through technological dependence, sentiments remain largely the same. Viewers lament the eerie "dystopian" nature of the times Tilly’s creation hints at. Most of the reactions had been a roastaire of the literally untouchable 'actress' from a lack cost cost-effectiveness to the AI model bordering boycott of the AI cast movies. The overall thought of the AI star’s "advantage" spelling doom for authentic human performances, fueling a cultural tug-of-war between innovation and tradition, remains at large.

The controversy surrounding Tilly Norwood crystallizes a larger Hollywood struggle—how to embrace cutting-edge tech without sidelining human talent. Yet, with fans and stars alike sounding alarms, the once-clear path forward is now full of plot twists. As the AI talent saga unfolds, Hollywood finds itself at a crossroads where innovation demands respect while the irreplaceable heart of human artistry must find its spotlight to shine another day.

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What do you think of the growing debate on Artificial Intelligence stepping foot into Hollywood? Let us know in the comments below!