World's first AI actor, Tilly Norwood, and her creator, Eline van der Velden, Founder & CEO of Particle 6, participated in the NDTV World Summit 2026, held in New Delhi today. Eline van der Velden said that the AI film industry will produce more jobs instead of taking them away, going by the broader public opinion.
Velden said it's a whole new endeavour and it would democratise the process. Velden specifically argued for AI actors in an AI film, and not AI actors in a human film.
Asked if it would pose a threat to the real human film industry, like what happened in China with the advent of microdramas, Velden said, "Yes, it's an emerging film industry. A lot of human inputs are required to make an AI film. We have actors working with AI, costume designers working with AI, production designers working with AI. So, you haven't seen a complete AI feature film because we need to re-strategise our workforce for this emerging industry. A lot of jobs would be created and it won't take them away."
Eline van der Velden, who is an actor, YouTuber and has run a production company for 12 years, said emphatically that AI can't replace a real human actor. But being an actor herself, she understands the need for an AI actor that can be used in telling stories that wouldn't have been told in a traditional way.
When asked about the impact of AI creations on climate, Tilly said that AI creations are sustainable compared to real film locales as they contribute more carbon footprints for the world.
