Chat3D’s Félix Balmonet says the rise of AI-generated performers like Tilly Norwood marks a “societal stress test” for the film industry, exposing deep questions about rights, trust, and the future of human creativity.
BY FRANCESCA RAPISARDA
As Hollywood grapples with the controversy surrounding Tilly Norwood, the AI-generated actress making global headlines, industry leaders are weighing in on what her creation means for the future of film and performance.
Felix Balmonet, CEO of French generative AI company Chat3D, says the Tilly Norwood case marks a turning point in how the entertainment world views artificial intelligence.
“Tilly marks a pivot in the conversation: we’re moving from ‘assistive tools’ to the prospect of substitution,” Balmonet explains. “The case exposes three fault lines. First, consent and rights: who owns the face, voice and movement data that may have trained these systems? Second, economics and power: the seductive promise of lower costs versus the risk of turning performance into an industrial process. Third, audience trust.”
For Balmonet, the issue goes far beyond one synthetic actress.
“Tilly isn’t a one-off stunt; it’s a societal and legal stress test for the industry,” he says.
AI as an Accelerator, Not a Replacement
Balmonet argues that AI’s true value lies in augmentation, not automation.
“I see AI as a targeted accelerator, not a universal replacement,” he notes. “It can speed up previsualisation, enable digital doubles for risky stunts or reshoots, assist with localisation, and handle visual effects work like cleanup or compositing. But it still struggles with sustained emotional nuance and artistic intention, the things that make performances memorable.”
Beyond Film: New Frontiers for Synthetic Performers
The CEO also sees potential applications in advertising, gaming, and education.
“Advertising and social can deploy brand avatars 24/7 with limitless variants. Fashion and e-commerce can use virtual models for campaigns without reshooting. Education and training gain contextual tutors that adapt to audiences,” he explains.
Still, he stresses that “truthful labelling and traceable datasets” must be non-negotiable for public trust.
“The Fear Is Legitimate”
Unions and actors have voiced strong concerns about AI displacing human talent, a fear Balmonet doesn’t dismiss.
“The fear is legitimate,” he acknowledges. “We must separate complementary uses, digital doubles, impossible shots, previz, from outright substitution, which crosses a red line when systems are fuelled by human performances without consent or compensation.”
He envisions a “hybrid model” as the only sustainable path forward:
“Human artists at the centre of creative decisions and on-screen presence, with synthetic tools serving specific, bounded purposes. Clear contracts, residuals, and transparent data practices are not optional; they’re the conditions for long-term trust.”
Protecting Human Likeness
When asked about safeguards, Balmonet outlines a path that blends legal clarity and technical traceability.
“Start with explicit, specific, revocable consent tied to clear purposes and timeframes,” he says. “Use standardised licences, ensure payment linked to actual exploitation, and establish a Do-Not-Train registry. Visible synthetic labelling and independent audits should be mandatory.”
The Moral Responsibility of Collaboration
Balmonet insists that AI firms have an ethical duty to work with, not against, the creative community.
“It’s not only moral, it’s strategic,” he argues. “Without artists and unions, there’s no social licence, no lawful access to the data that makes these systems work. The companies that thrive will be those that share value and control rather than extracting both.”
A Future of Collaboration
Despite public unease, Balmonet remains optimistic about coexistence between human and AI actors.
“The future is collaborative,” he says. “A fully synthetic cast isn’t credible in the near term; audiences instinctively detect the missing intention. Humans bring meaning and ambiguity; AI brings scale and precision. With the right guardrails, AI remains a powerful tool, not a rival species.”
Innovation or Exploitation?
Balmonet concludes by calling for transparency and fairness as AI-generated “performers” develop careers and followings.
“Draw the line using four principles: truth, consent, fair value-sharing, and proportionality,” he states. “No identifiable person’s likeness or voice should be used without a proper licence, and every synthetic performer must be clearly labelled as such.”
Over the past year, major studios and streaming platforms have experimented with AI for script development, dubbing, and digital doubles, while the 2023 Hollywood strikes placed AI protections at the centre of labour negotiations. Start-ups like Chat3D, Synthesia, and Runway are now redefining how moving images are created, and who, or what, can be considered a “performer.”
As Balmonet puts it, “The technology is moving fast, but trust moves slowly.”
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