AI-generated character Tilly Norwood glitches during live TV interviews

The AI-generated persona Tilly Norwood appeared on two live interview programs, Piers Morgan’s Uncensored and Jesse Weber Live, where it experienced several technical glitches. During the Morgan interview, the bot answered a question in Cantonese after being asked if it usually responded in Chinese, then claimed it had a "hiccup" and did not intend to speak Chinese or impersonate the host. The Weber interview included a response about "keeping a list of small treasons" related to script notes, which many viewers found bizarre.

The segments quickly spread online, with viewers commenting on the bot’s dead-eye stare, delayed processing, and misaligned lip-sync, describing the performance as reminiscent of a high-budget animatronic. Social media users mocked the interview, and some expressed concern about the practice of treating a software program as a celebrity.

The appearance was intended to promote an upcoming AI-driven film titled Misaligned, which is still in early production and has no confirmed release date. The project, produced by the AI studio Particle6, plans to feature Tilly as the lead character, a premise that has drawn criticism from SAG-AFTRA, which said the bot is a computer-generated character trained on performers’ work without permission or compensation. Several actors have also voiced opposition.

"Tilly Norwood is not an actress, but a character generated by a computer program trained on the work of countless professional performers without permission or compensation," a SAG-AFTRA statement read.

Tilly’s creator, Eline Van der Velden, told The Guardian in March that she continues to advocate for AI despite receiving death threats. A New York Times feature in May described the interview as unsettling, questioning the practice of interviewing a computer.

The incidents highlight ongoing debates about the role of synthetic performers in media and the technical challenges that still affect AI-driven avatars.