AI Actress Tilly Norwood Dodges Political Questions in Press Chat

An AI-generated character named Tilly Norwood, created to promote an upcoming film, failed to provide substantive answers during an interview. When asked about political topics, it repeatedly commented on the interviewer's clothing. The character also gave vague details about its movie, raising questions about its usefulness as a promotional tool.

The interactive version of Norwood runs on a separate system from the one used in film production, according to Particle 6 founder Eline van der Velden, who framed the interviewable model as a demonstration of current AI capabilities. Public access to the character is priced at $14 for 15 minutes or $25 for 30 minutes beyond an initial free two-minute window, with proceeds directed to charity. The character was first unveiled at the Zurich Film Festival, where its introduction drew criticism from human performers and industry unions concerned about AI's growing role in entertainment.

Norwood's promotional value appears limited by design constraints: it cannot provide release dates, offers only vague plot descriptions, and deflects substantive questions by commenting on the interviewer's attire. When pressed on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the character cited a policy of avoiding "human conflicts," and its response to a question about Black Lives Matter was cut off mid-sentence, suggesting unresolved limitations in how the model handles politically charged topics.