Overview

• Tilly Norwood, created by Eline Van der Velden’s Particle6/Xicoia, is presented online as an aspiring performer but unions say it is a synthetic character, not an actor.
• SAG-AFTRA declared the system was trained on performers’ work without consent or pay and reiterated opposition to replacing human performers with synthetics.
• UK union Equity labeled Tilly an AI tool and said it is using GDPR to demand provenance of the data used to build such models.
• Van der Velden defended the project as art and said talent agents have expressed interest, though no representation has been announced and at least one agency has publicly refused.
• SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin said material used to create Tilly was improperly obtained and signaled the union will press agencies and producers for permission, compensation and bargaining.