Eline Van der Velden didn’t intend to set off a global backlash at the Zurich Film Festival. On a panel , she casually mentioned that she would soon be announcing which agency will represent “ Tilly Norwood ” — an AI character that her company, Particle6 , has created.

That remark — coupled with the image of the ingenue Tilly — generated an outpouring of fury, anxiety, fascination and lust. Maureen Dowd augured the collapse of civilization. Tyler Cowen, the economist, proclaimed Tilly his favorite actress and speculated about her virginity.

“The reaction to it is the story,” says Bryn Mooser, founder of Asteria, an AI film studio based in Los Angeles. “It’s indicative that we’re in a very tense moment in our industry.”

In Hollywood, Tilly crystallized fears about AI in a way

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