Overview

• Eline van der Velden of Particle 6 Productions introduced Tilly Norwood as a synthetic performer engineered by Xicoia using ten AI programs.
• Van der Velden says talent agencies have reached out about representing Tilly, and the company has released clips and a comedy sketch to showcase the avatar.
• SAG-AFTRA issued an official statement arguing Tilly is not an actor and was trained on performers’ work without permission or compensation.
• Prominent voices, including Emily Blunt, criticized the project for eroding human connection and devaluing the work of real artists.
• Industry observers warn the greatest job risks are to lower-paid workers such as background actors and voice artists, with broader concerns tied to increasingly realistic synthetic video.