Hollywood stars and the union representing them are voicing concerns over the emergence of an AI-generated actress named Tilly Norwood. Reports indicate that Norwood, created by Eline Van der Velden, founder of the UK-based AI production studio Particle6, may soon be signed by a talent agency for acting roles. Van der Velden sparked controversy during a panel at the Zurich Summit on September 27, where she mentioned discussions about signing Norwood with an agency.

Actress Emily Blunt expressed her apprehension, calling the idea "terrifying." In an interview, she urged agencies to reconsider, stating, "Come on, agencies, don't do that. Please stop. Please stop taking away our human connection."

Marvel actor Simu Liu also criticized the concept on Instagram, sarcastically suggesting that movies would be better if characters were portrayed by AI instead of real humans.

Oscar-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg shared her thoughts on the matter during an episode of ABC's "The View." She argued that AI-generated actors possess an "unfair advantage" over human performers, explaining, "You are suddenly up against something that's been generated with 5,000 other actors ... so it's a little bit of an unfair advantage."

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) released a statement opposing the use of AI actors. The union emphasized that creativity should remain human-centered and criticized the potential replacement of human performers with synthetic alternatives. The statement highlighted that Norwood is not an actor but a character created by a computer program trained on the work of numerous professional performers without their consent.

"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 statement read. It further warned that the use of AI could jeopardize performers' livelihoods and devalue human artistry.

Despite the backlash, Tilly Norwood's social media presence is growing, with over 30,000 followers on Instagram. Clips of her acting have been shared, including a video where she describes her first role in a comedy sketch titled "AI Commissioner."

In response to the criticism, Van der Velden clarified her intentions, stating that Norwood is a "piece of art" and not a replacement for human actors. She described the AI character as a creative work that sparks conversation. "I see AI not as a replacement for people, but as a new tool -- a new paintbrush," she said. Van der Velden compared AI to other artistic mediums like animation and puppetry, asserting that it offers new possibilities for storytelling without diminishing the value of live performance.

As the debate continues, the future of AI in the entertainment industry remains uncertain, with many advocating for the preservation of human artistry in acting.