SAG-AFTRA condemns use of AI actress Tilly Norwood

In its official statement, the union emphasized that creativity should remain human-centered and that replacing live performers with “synthetics” undermines the foundations of the industry.

“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,” the union said in an Instagram post.

According to SAG-AFTRA, such projects do not solve problems but rather create them: they rely on the unauthorized use of other performers’ work, threatening jobs and devaluing human artistry. The union also reminded producers that synthetic performers may only be used in compliance with contractual obligations, which require prior notification and bargaining with SAG-AFTRA.

Tilly Norwood was created by the British production company Particle6 and its division Xicoia, headed by Elaine Van der Velden. Her debut took place in the short comedy sketch AI Commissioner, generated entirely by artificial intelligence - from script to editing.

Norwood also maintains social media accounts where “behind-the-scenes” photos and posts imitate the daily life of a real actress.

The controversy around Norwood reflects a wider global trend. Recently, Albania became the first country to appoint an AI system as a cabinet minister, with the virtual minister Diella placed in charge of the country’s public procurement sector.