10/01/2025
On September 30th, 2025, ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir reported how the launch of the fully AI-generated actress, Tilly Norwood, has sent shockwaves through Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA and other unions immediately condemned her creation, arguing that digital performers not only siphon income away from hard-working human actors and voice talent, but also cheapen the entire creative process.
It’s one thing for technology to enable new creative tools; it’s entirely another when those tools are used to replace real people. Actors, voiceover artists, and creative professionals have devoted years to perfecting their craft, only to have their work, their roles—and now even their likenesses—replaced without consent or compensation. Critics in the ABC report warn that this trend could result in artistic output that is generic and soulless, as true creative nuance only comes from human experience.
From a moral standpoint, there’s a clear line: just because you can create an AI product that mimics an actor’s work does not mean it's OK. Behind every job taken by a digital clone is a real person deprived of income, creative challenge, and recognition. Moreover, audiences and creators alike lose the richness and authenticity that only individuals can deliver.
Until laws catch up, it falls on those who commission, produce, and release these AI creations to act responsibly—and protect the talented humans at the heart of entertainment.
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