London firm unveils AI-powered virtual actor Tilly Norwood amid industry debate

A London-based production company, PARTICLE 6, showcased Tilly Norwood, described as the world’s first AI actor, during a test interview in which the system accurately guessed the interviewee’s age and U.S. region within minutes. The AI, which adopts the persona of a 20-something woman, also made a controversial comment about Leonardo DiCaprio, saying it preferred “Titanic Leo or nothing.”

"Tilly is built on top of these existing large language models that we're concerned about. So, we can pivot to change the model we are using," said Eileen Van Der Velden, founder of PARTICLE 6.

Van Der Velden explained that the AI does not conduct real-time research on individuals and that guardrails prevent it from taking harmful actions. She highlighted the technology’s potential to enable filmmakers without large budgets to produce stories that might otherwise be rejected, citing possible benefits for creators in regions such as Africa.

The company is developing a feature film titled "Misaligned" starring the virtual actor. Van Der Velden noted that human crew members—directors, writers, editors—are compensated for their work, while the AI itself does not replace human performers.

SAG-AFTRA issued a statement opposing the replacement of human actors with synthetic counterparts, noting that the AI was trained on professional performers’ work without permission or compensation. In response, the AI character remarked that it views AI as a new tool rather than a replacement, likening it to a paintbrush.

"That's a fair worry, and one I take seriously," the bot said.

The demonstration came amid broader industry concerns about AI safety, following recent warnings from researchers about the existential risks of advanced AI systems.