First US state to ban AI actors as non-human actor Tilly Norwood faces major backlash from A-listers

Last year, a US state became the first place in America to ban AI actors in a landmark move to protect the craft.

It came months before non-human actress Tilly Norwood entered the Hollywood scene, sparking backlash from celebrities around the world.

For those not familiar, Tilly is not a real-life person and is instead entirely computer-generated and made by artificial intelligence.

However, that hasn't stopped her, or should we say it, from racking up more than 60,000 followers on Instagram with thousands of likes on 'showreels and headshots'.

Talent agents have allegedly been rushing to sign the bot, which was created by Eline Van der Velden, prompting a strong negative response from the industry.

Big names such as Emily Blunt and Whoopi Goldberg have come forward to slam the creation, questioning the ethical concerns and calling the AI actress 'terrifying'.

Last year, California became the first US state to ban AI actors as a replacement for humans (Getty Stock Image)

In response, the creator issued a lengthy statement, clarifying that Tilly 'is not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work - a piece of art'.

She wrote: "Like many forms of art before her, she sparks conversation, and that in itself shows the power of creativity."

And it looks like California was way ahead of the curve when it came to this debate, as in September 2024, the US state passed two bills to protect actors and their likenesses from being copied.

The legislation outlines explicit approval is required to use a performer’s likeness, even after they’re dead, making it illegal to use artificial intelligence to replace a real actor.

California Governor Newsom introduced the two AI-based bills into law - Assembly Bill 2602 (AB 2602) and Assembly Bill 1836 (AB 1836).

As per Indy100, AB 2602 means a contract between an individual and anyone else can be rendered 'contrary to public policy' if it, 'allows for the creation and use of a digital replica of the individual’s voice or likeness in place of work the individual would otherwise have performed in person'.

To be specific, 'digital replica' refers to a 'computer-generated, highly realistic electronic representation that is readily identifiable as the voice or visual likeness of an individual'.

It came well before AI actress Tilly Norwood emerged on the scene (Particle6/Instagram/TillyNorwood)

The second bill, AB 1836 protects dead stars as it prohibits the creation and distribution of a digital replica of a deceased person’s'“voice or likeness in an expressive audiovisual work or sound recording' without prior consent.

It's unknown whether this bill would prohibit something like Tilly being created, as she would have likely been inspired by a range of different people rather than one actor.

Governor Newsom said at the time of passing the bills: "California has proven that we can establish regulations to protect our communities while also ensuring that the growing AI industry continues to thrive.

"This legislation strikes that balance. AI is the new frontier in innovation, and California is not only here for it – but stands strong as a national leader by enacting the first-in-the-nation frontier AI safety legislation that builds public trust as this emerging technology rapidly evolves."