This should be routine entertainment news. Tilly Norwood is an actress promoting her starring role in the upcoming comedy-drama movie Misaligned.
Except for the unusual detail that Tilly Norwood isn’t human. She’s an AI generated persona- who will be performing alongside fellow human actors in the film.
AI-focused studio Particle 6 announced that it was currently in production on their film Misaligned. Eline van Der Velden, founder and CEO of the London company, clarified that the intention behind the feature is to “demonstrate where AI is at — and upskill and bring as many people as possible from the industry with us into the future.” She urged entertainment creatives to work in AI as a way to future-proof their roles in the industry.
Future-Proofing Jobs or Protecting Rights?
Tilly Norwood’s debut in Misaligned is prompting fresh debate about AI in entertainment- the future for performers, writers, musicians, effects artists and directors, and how AI protections for creatives will be secured or enforced. Many entertainment workers fear being replaced by AI- and that their work will be used without adequate permission or compensation.
The UK performers’ union Equity noted that performer rights are crucial, especially now in the face of Disney’s recent $1 billion OpenAI investment. As of 2026, the new three-year licensing agreement with Disney means users of Sora (the start-up which owns OpenAI) can make content with more than 200 characters across Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars. Equity says that when using AI avatars, there are specific concerns about how a digital replica or avatar was created. Cathy Sweet, Equity’s head of film and TV, said in a statement:
“While data scraping and untraceable training data sources continue, the questions of theft and misuse will persist. Actors, voice artists and performers of all kinds are left vulnerable to their work being stolen and used without their consent or even knowledge. This isn’t OK and it has to stop.”
Hollywood performers’ union, SAG-AFTRA, representing approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, singers, etc. also has definite viewpoints about any synthetic construct that is generated by software being used in the industry. Regarding actor Tilly, SAG-AFTRA says:
“SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics.
“To be clear, “Tilly Norwood” is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation…Additionally, signatory producers should be aware that they may not use synthetic performers without complying with our contractual obligations, which require notice and bargaining whenever a synthetic performer is going to be used.”
From Movie Magic to Million-Dollar Fraud
Ethical questions surrounding AI extend far beyond the entertainment industry. From business and finance to nearly every aspect of the digital world, AI is reshaping how we work, communicate, and create- for better or worse. Beyond concerns about job displacement, AI has also been used to carry out sophisticated deepfake fraud that has cost businesses millions of dollars.
One of the highest-profile cases of AI-powered fraud occurred with the British engineering company Arup in 2024. A finance employee in charge of wire transfers was tricked into authorizing 15 fraudulent transfers totaling $25.6 million- through an AI-generated scheme using phishing email and legitimate-looking video conference calls. Not only was the company’s CFO convincingly impersonated, but other colleagues were as well- all recreated by AI, simply by using publicly available source materials such as video and audio from company meetings and conferences. While businesses have since responded with stricter financial controls, identity verification protocols, and deepfake detection tools, the race between AI innovation and AI misuse is likely to continue.
Whether in Hollywood or the business world, AI can be either a creative tool or a disruptive force- it all depends on how people use the technology. Actress Tilly Norwood’s debut in Misaligned is more than a movie premiere- it’s a sign that the lines between human and artificial, reality and simulation, are becoming blurred. The technology is here. The challenge now is deciding where and how we want to draw the lines.
Photo by Cottonbro Studio
