Xicoia Appoints Mark Whelan to Lead AI Actor Expansion and 'Tillyverse' Launch
Xicoia, the studio behind the AI actor Tilly Norwood, has appointed Mark Whelan to a key leadership role. Whelan, described as the studio's first major hire, will be responsible for the "rapid expansion" of the AI actor and the launch of the "Tillyverse."
Whelan's Background and New Mandate
Whelan previously served at Amazon's Prime Video, where he managed social expansion and strategy for brands such as The Grand Tour and Clarkson's Farm. His past roles also included leading YouTube format development.
In his new position, Whelan will focus on developing the Tillyverse, which is envisioned as a constantly evolving digital universe for Tilly Norwood and other AI characters. He will also lead a team in creating new proprietary AI characters for Xicoia and its umbrella studio, Particle6, and supervise the development of AI talent for third-party commissions.
The Vision for the Tillyverse
Whelan will collaborate with Eline van der Velden, who leads Xicoia and Particle6, on the Tillyverse project. Tilly Norwood, an AI actor created by Xicoia, has been a subject of industry discussion. Van der Velden previously stated intentions to develop 40 diverse AI characters within this digital world.
Van der Velden commented that she and Whelan will "together, build something entirely new."
Whelan described the opportunity as "once-in-a-lifetime," noting that Xicoia aims to define new industry standards by combining technology and creative strategy for the Tillyverse and Tilly Norwood's evolving narrative.