A Humber acting professor said he anticipates AI will change the standard in the film industry just as autotuning has done in the music industry.
Actor and Professor Elias Ham said he doesn’t think AI actors are going to replace him in his lifetime, but they could limit opportunities for the next generation of actors.
He said the connections he has within the industry make him wanted by casting directors and studio heads, but students may have difficulties as they haven't yet made those connections.
Ham said a place in the industry is earned by being reliable after working with companies repeatedly, but A.I. may change all that in the years to come.
“We haven’t felt the full sting of its impact on our society and culture as a whole as substantially and as vehemently as it’s going to happen over the next few years,” Ham said.
AI studio Particle 6 is pushing for the newly produced AI character Tilly Norwood to replace actors in Hollywood.
Particle 6 launched Xicoia, a talent agency centred around Tilly Norwood at the Zurich Film Festival’s Summit.
Tilly Norwood currently has a portfolio website after its debut in the AI short film “AI Commissioner” at the Zurich Film Festival.
CEO and Founder Eline van der Velden said Particle 6 wants the AI actress to be the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman in a Broadcast International interview.
Particle 6 has Prime Video, Apple TV Plus and the BBC, among others, as clients. They are developing content using their AI systems.
The acting union, SAG-AFTRA, said in a media statement that it condemns the use of AI actors.
“SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centred. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics," it said in a statement.
It said Tilly is not an actor but the work of a computer program and built on the performances of actors who haven’t been compensated or credited for their contributions.
Ham said the new AI is not what people are calling it.
“It’s a line of code, it’s a program," he said. "What it isn’t, is an actor, what it isn’t, is an artist.”
Ham said that people calling it an actor and humanizing it causes people to cultivate a connection to something that isn’t human.
This is not the first time AI has been the topic of discussion in the film industry.
SAG-AFTRA supported the Writers Guild of America in 2023 following the use of AI scripting. As a result, AI is not being utilized to write or rewrite content.
SAG-AFTRA said in the statement that audiences are not interested in watching computer-generated content.
Producers are not allowed to use AI-performing software without complying with contractual obligations, which generally require notice and bargaining, the SAG-AFTRA statement said
The Canadian Actors' Equity Association (CAEA) advocates for live performance actors and performers across Canada.
Director of Communications Randy Duniz said in an email statement that the use of A.I. actors isn’t a concern yet in the live performance industry, although it could have an affect on the livelihood of the members who also do recorded performances.
Executive Director Alex Levine said he has hope that live performances will still resonate with people, and AI, coupled with holograms, will not affect what a human performance can provide.
Levine said few actors earn their full living from acting but it’s getting more difficult in the film industry with AI impeding on smaller roles.
A lot of actors looking to break into the industry are faced with fewer opportunities because studios and people have come to accept AI in commercials or background work.
“We’ve lost that battle,” he said.
Ham said his students are aware and fascinated by Tilly Norwood, but they don’t treat it as an issue that warrants concern.
He said students need to show why they are better for the job than AI, just as they show they’re better than other actors.
Ham said what the people want out of AI will be reflected by studios, and it’s up to the viewing audience to dictate what AI can do within the industry.
He said people should vote with their wallets and voices using social media to connect with the human art that AI does not provide.
“My loyalty is to the art form and to the craft that I’ve dedicated my entire life to,” Ham said.
