Tilly Norwood, AI-generated actress, sparks backlash

LOS ANGELES (CBS, KYMA) - An AI-generated actress named Tilly Norwood is catching the attention of a Hollywood talent agency and real-life actors are raising alarms.

She's being pitched to be the ultimate girl next door, except she is the brainchild of Dutch comedian Eline Van der Velden, who founded the AI-centered production company Particle6, where Norwood was born.

Over the weekend, a host of actors responded to reports that agencies were interested in signing the AI actress, with Melissa Barrera, star of "Scream" and "Scream VI," writing on Instagram, "How gross. Read the room."

In a statement posted to Instagram Sunday, Van der Velden responded saying in part, "I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool," adding, "I hope we can welcome AI as part of the wider artistic family."

The threat of AI was a major bone of contention as union actors went on strike in 2023, resulting in some protections.

However, AI remains a part of Hollywood as it helped fine-tune Adrien Brody's Hungarian accent in the period drama, "The Brutalist," as well as de-aged actors like Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."

"This is all part of our, a rapidly evolving landscape that's being figured out in real time," said Elaine Low, a staff writer for The Ankler. "Competition is already pretty cutthroat and you add to that, the idea of completely synthetic AI performers...the job market really doesn't look any rosier for an entertainment industry that has already seen a contraction over these last few."

SAG-AFTRA released a statement regarding Norwood seeking representation saying:

"SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics. 

To be clear, 'Tilly Norwood' is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation. It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we've seen, audiences aren't interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience. It doesn't solve any 'problem' — it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry. 

Additionally, signatory producers should be aware that they may not use synthetic performers without complying with our contractual obligations, which generally require notice and bargaining whenever a synthetic performer is going to be used."

Meanwhile, Van der Velden says she hopes to launch more than 40 AI stars with her company, Xicoia. The AI-generated actors would be used in everything, from TV to film productions to podcasts and video games.