On the New York Times Opinion podcast in late June 2025, Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist, entrepreneur and founder of Palantir Technologies, discussed the growth in technology candidly in contexts of technology, artificial intelligence and transhumanism (the concept of integrating advanced technology into human bodies to ‘improve’ certain abilities, etc). Despite the daunting nature of all these topics, the most dystopian moment came when he was asked if he would prefer the human race to prevail against AI, to which he responded hesitantly, followed by, “I don’t know.” Scary.
Beyond the concept of the human race being completely wiped out due to artificial intelligence’s rise, this incremental integration of AI into numerous industries is most dangerous to one that thrives off human creativity: Hollywood.
In July of 2025, Xicoia, an AI talent agency, released their first actress prototype named Tilly Norwood, sparking conversations online amongst celebrities from Madelyn Cline to Whoopi Goldberg and ultimately the SAG-AFTRA organization. Industry actors were outraged by the implicit attack on their job market by technology, and rightfully so. While business and economic industries have integrated AI more as an ‘assistant’ or help tool to corporate workers, Norwood directly replaces those workers. She is not a help tool or aid; she is the product.
Many opposed Tilly making significant strides into the actual industry, with thousands of union actors signing petitions for the talent agencies not to sign her. Yet, the concept of a robot actor replicating human stories is out there, teetering on the lines of domination over the industry.
AI’s encroachment in the streaming world sparked controversy within Hollywood’s industry as well. Disney+ admitted to using Artificial Intelligence technology to monitor the algorithms of their viewers, which, although minimal, once again used AI on their platforms.
There is a clear line between helping market, promote or elevate art and actually replacing it. Many worry that creativity will be diminished if Artificial Intelligence becomes a ‘norm’ in the industry. Although Marvel uses AI to generate intergalactic unreal creatures onto the screen, it is, on paper, different from having Tom Holland’s Spider-Man be replaced by a digitized robot. The inclusion of AI at all immediately takes the beauty, rarity and talent of the craft out of what has long been a celebrated and esteemed pursuit.