(MENAFN) The US labor union representing actors and media professionals has voiced strong opposition to the introduction of “Tilly Norwood,” an artificial intelligence–generated character reportedly attempting to gain industry representation, warning that such developments threaten the jobs of human performers.

In a statement on Tuesday, the union emphasized that creativity “should remain human-centered” and expressed its stance against “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,” the statement said. “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 union warned that such technology risks “using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.” It also reminded producers that those under contract must notify and negotiate with the union before employing synthetic performers.

This development comes as the entertainment industry continues to navigate the role of AI, particularly following labor disputes and strikes in 2023 that raised concerns over digital replication and the rights of performers.

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