You probably are already aware that a tech creator named Eline Van Der Velden debuted an AI "actor" called Tilly Norwood last month. Understandably, real-life human actors are worried because this digital performer could eventually take jobs away from traditional performers. The news got a little messy when internet sleuths discovered Van Der Velden's company Particle6 had received funding from the British Film Institute, a U.K. government-backed organization that supports the film industry.An actor, Alexa Morden, raised concerns that public money was being used to develop technology that could replace actual creative workers. That kicked off a debate about whether taxpayer dollars should fund AI projects that might harm the people those same programs are meant to help.Van Der Velden responded by clarifying that the BFI grant of around $161,000 went to Particle6 for business development activities like attending conferences and hiring staff, not for creating Tilly Norwood.Van Der Velden told Deadline, "In 2023, Particle6 was proud and deeply grateful to receive support through the BFI U.K. Global Screen Fund’s International Business Development strand. Tilly Norwood Credit: Xicoia/Particle6 "In line with the terms of the grant, all funding was dedicated exclusively to advancing our international growth strategy. This included key initiatives such as attending overseas markets and conferences, acquiring new IP, and engaging a head of international outreach—all of which were fully approved and communicated with the BFI. This outreach role began as a consultancy position, and as our ambitions grew, the senior industry executive who initially served as our...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - 4 days ago