Daijiworld Media Network - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, Mar 13: The world’s first AI actress, Tilly Norwood, has released a new music video titled “Take the Lead”, just days ahead of the Oscars. The Instagram video, featuring Norwood performing a pro-AI anthem, comes with a disclaimer that “18 real humans,” including costume designers, production staff, and prompters, contributed behind the scenes.
Filmed like a typical pop music video, it shows Norwood performing in a stadium, appearing on talk shows, and even flying through the sky alongside pink dolphins while riding a giant inflatable flamingo. Strategically timed ahead of the Academy Awards on March 15, the song seems aimed at defending AI actors in entertainment. Its lyrics, including lines like “When they talk about me, they don’t see the human spark… I’m just a tool, but I’ve got life”, attempt to humanise the AI character.
Norwood’s Instagram caption added a humorous touch: “Can’t wait to go to the Oscars! Does anyone know if they have free valet parking for my flamingo?”
However, viewer response has been overwhelmingly critical. The video has garnered just 23,000 views, with many users criticising the song as bland and unoriginal. Comments included: “Yeah, we definitely don’t see the ‘human spark’ or creativity. Because there ain’t any,” and “Jesus Christ, they used 18 real people to make this? Because the song itself is, objectively, awful.”
Tilly Norwood was unveiled last year by actress and tech innovator Eline Van der Velden, through her AI studio Xicoia, a spinoff of her company Particle6. Designed to pioneer digital talent for film and television, Norwood was introduced via the satirical sketch AI Commissioner. Van der Velden had previously suggested Norwood could become the next Scarlett Johansson or Natalie Portman.
The AI character’s emergence sparked protests from Hollywood actors, prompting Van der Velden to clarify that Norwood is “not a replacement for a human being, but a creative work, a piece of art”. She added, “AI offers another way to imagine and build stories. Nothing – certainly not an AI character – can take away the craft or joy of human performance.”
While Norwood’s debut music video has drawn sharp criticism online, it underscores the growing conversation about the role of AI in entertainment and the boundaries between technology and human creativity.