AI actress Tilly Norwood responds to criticism with new music video 'Take The Lead'

AI character Tilly Norwood releases music video 'Take The Lead' while responding to Hollywood criticism

Tilly Norwood, an artificial intelligence-generated character created by the England-based company Particle6, has released a music video titled Take The Lead while responding to criticism surrounding the use of AI in the entertainment industry.

Norwood was initially introduced online as what its creators describe as the “World’s first AI Actress”. The character gained attention through AI-generated sketches and social media posts featuring fictional auditions and performances.

The newly released video presents Norwood as a musician performing in a large arena setting while incorporating several AI-generated visuals, including scenes of the character arriving in a limousine and recurring imagery of pink flamingos, which have become part of the character’s visual identity.

The track includes lyrics addressing the role of artificial intelligence in creative work. One line states: “AI’s not the enemy, it’s the key.” The opening verse adds: “When they talk about me, they don’t see the human spark, the creativity, behind the code, behind the light, I’m just a tool, but I've got life.”

A disclaimer at the start of the video states that the production involved human contributors, reading: “the following production was made by 18 real humans - from production designers to costume designers to prompters, editors and an actor.”

The video description also references a planned appearance at the 2026 Academy Awards on March 15.

Norwood’s creation has drawn criticism from some within the entertainment industry. The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA previously issued a statement opposing the project, arguing that the technology could affect performers’ livelihoods.

“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 union said.

Particle6 founder Eline Van Der Velden has defended the character in response to the criticism.

“To those who have expressed anger over the creation of our AI character Tilly Norwood: she is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work — a piece of art,” she wrote in a statement.