The creator of an AI actress has broken her silence to insist that computer generated characters will not replace humans in film and TV after sparking a fierce backlash.

Actress, comedian and technologist Eline Van der Velden launched AI star Tilly Norwood over the weekend, immediately sparking uproar.

Many expressed concerns over the invention and argued the CGI ‘slop’ is a slap in the face to real-life actors.

Van der Velden, CEO of AI-focused production company Particle 6, has since addressed the negative response and reasoned that AI characters should be ‘judged as part of their own genre.’

Writing in a statement shared on social media, she said: ‘To those who have expressed anger over the creation of my AI character, Tilly Norwood, 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, a new paintbrush. Just as animation, puppetry, or CGI opened fresh possibilities without taking away from live acting, AI offers another way to imagine and build stories.

‘I’m an actor myself, and nothing – certainly not an AI character – can take away the craft or joy of human performance.

‘Creating Tilly has been, for me, an act of imagination and craftsmanship, not unlike drawing a character, writing a role, or shaping a performance.

‘It takes time, skill, and iteration to bring such a character to life. She represents experimentation, not substitution. Much of my work has always been about holding up a mirror to society through satire, and this is no different.’

She continued: ‘AI characters should be judged as part of their own genre, on their own merits… Each form of art has its place, and each can be valued for what it uniquely brings.

‘I hope we can welcome AI as part of the wider artistic family; one more way to express ourselves, alongside theatre, film, painting, music, and countless others.

‘When we celebrate all forms of creativity, we open doors to new voices, new stories, and new ways of connecting with each other.’

Social media users, however, continued to slam Van der Velden’s invention and urged others to ‘boycott’ films that don’t use human actors.

Taking to the comments, one said: ‘Never an actress, AI slop will never replace human made art.’

‘What’s the bet she wrote this response using ChatGPT?’ asked another, referring to the statement.

A third continued: ‘This whole thing is such an insult to all the hard-working and incredibly talented actors who are trying to make it in the industry. I seriously hope this whole thing implodes. This is awful.’

‘We all need to boycott films that use AI characters in place of humans,’ added a fourth.

‘I’ve never wanted something to fail this much before,’ continued another. ‘I will NEVER watch a movie or a TV show that uses this junk.

Van der Velden first teased Tilly’s creation earlier this year before officially launching AI talent studio, Xicoia, last week.

‘With Xicoia, we’re creating the first studio where AI-driven talent isn’t just a gimmick—it’s living, performing IP with depth, humor, and narrative arcs,’ she said of the studio.

‘We believe the next generation of cultural icons will be synthetic: stars that never tire, never age, and can interact with fans.

‘But just like the best entertainment companies, the key isn’t the technology — it’s the storytelling and the people behind those stories.’