SAG-AFTRA Denounces AI Actress Tilly Norwood Over Performer Rights Concerns

Eline van der Velden, founder of Particle6 and creator of the AI actress Tilly Norwood, emphasizes that Norwood is a creative work and not a replacement for human actors, aiming to position AI characters as a new artistic genre. Despite this, the AI talent studio Xicoia, which manages Norwood, has faced strong backlash from Hollywood actors and the union SAG-AFTRA, which condemns the use of synthetic performers trained on real actors' work without permission or compensation. SAG-AFTRA asserts that AI characters lack life experience and emotion, devalue human artistry, and threaten actor livelihoods, warning producers that using such synthetic performers violates union contracts requiring negotiation. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in Hollywood as AI technologies rapidly advance, with many industry professionals viewing AI-generated actors as an existential threat to traditional performers. Van der Velden envisions AI as a new creative tool rather than a replacement, but the union and many actors remain resolute in opposing AI use that undermines human-centered creativity and labor rights. This debate underscores the broader challenge of integrating AI into the entertainment industry while respecting performers' rights and artistic integrity.