Particle6 caused a stir in Hollywood last fall when it introduced its AI-generated “actor” Tilly Norwood, with reactions ranging from skepticism to outright disdain.
Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt expressed her concerns in an interview with Variety, exclaiming, “Good Lord, we’re screwed. Come on, agencies, don’t do that. Please stop.”
Ignoring Blunt’s warning, Particle6 went ahead and released a music video featuring Tilly Norwood performing a song titled “Take the Lead.”
Upon listening to the song, I personally found it to be the most cringe-worthy piece of music I’ve ever encountered.
While I was expecting Norwood’s musical debut to be similar to Xania Monet’s AI-generated song “How Was I Supposed to Know?”, which gained attention on the Billboard R&B charts, Norwood’s song took the AI cringe to a whole new level.
The video for “Take the Lead” involved eighteen people, including designers and editors, yet the song itself delves into Tilly’s struggles as an AI character facing skepticism due to her non-human nature.
The lyrics of the song highlight Tilly’s defiance against those who doubt her humanity, with lines like, “They say it’s not real, that it’s fake. But I am still human, make no mistake.”
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However, the claim of Tilly being human is far from true.
While music doesn’t have to appeal to everyone, it should at least resonate with someone. Norwood’s song manages to address a situation that no human could possibly relate to – being disregarded for being an AI.
The song, resembling a Sara Bareillis imitation, emphasizes Tilly’s desire to be recognized for her individuality and talent.
The chorus of the song serves as a rallying cry for AI actors to assert their presence and creativity in the face of skepticism from humans.
The video portrays Tilly’s journey through a data center, culminating in a staged moment of triumph in front of an artificial audience.
Ultimately, the anthem of unity among AI actors in the song feels forced and unnecessary.
The controversy surrounding AI-generated works mirrors past criticisms of mainstream music becoming derivative and uninspired.
SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, condemned Tilly Norwood as a character lacking life experience and emotion, created using stolen performances from real actors, thus devaluing human artistry.
While Jet drew inspiration from older rock bands to create their music, Tilly Norwood’s existence is rooted in AI models trained on data taken without artists’ consent.
In retrospect, Pitchfork’s harsh critique of Jet’s album seems premature compared to the ethical concerns raised by AI-generated content today.
