AI-generated performer switches to Cantonese during Piers Morgan interview
Developing story first seen 8 hours ago
New coverage focuses on Tilly Norwood’s unexpected Cantonese-speaking glitch during a Piers Morgan interview, after actor Tom Conti pressed her to clarify whether her film Misaligned featured AI or human performers. The AI-generated actress eventually said the cast comprised “digital twins”, then switched languages, prompting laughter from Morgan and Conti before she resumed speaking English.
Norwood was created by talent studio Xicoia, with the project unveiled by Eline Van der Velden at the Zurich Film Festival. The incident has attracted attention amid wider arguments about AI’s impact on creative industries and whether the sector should be subject to stronger regulation, although the episode itself appears to have been a technical or programming error rather than evidence of deliberate deception.
- AI actress Tilly Norwood unexpectedly switched to Cantonese during questioning.
- She said Misaligned’s performers would be digital twins.
- The glitch fuelled debate about AI in entertainment.
Full account
An artificial intelligence programme presented as an actress experienced an unexpected technical malfunction during a high-profile television interview, abruptly switching from English to Cantonese mid-conversation. The incident occurred on an instalment of Piers Morgan Uncensored, a YouTube programme featuring notable guests. The synthetic performer, identified as Tilly Norwood, was being promoted as part of a film project titled Misaligned, a production combining artificial and human performers. Accompanying Morgan in the studio was Oscar-nominated actor Tom Conti, who participated in the questioning.
The conversation commenced without incident, with Norwood responding appropriately to general enquiries about preferred actors and Conti's filmography. However, the interaction became more contested when Conti posed a direct question about whether the other cast members would be artificial or human performers. Rather than providing a straightforward answer, Norwood initially deflected, highlighting instead the human talent involved in writing, directing and editing. Conti declined to accept this response, explicitly telling the programme it had failed to comprehend his question and requesting a clearer answer. When pressed to reconsider, Norwood acknowledged that the actors were 'all digital twins' before the system abruptly malfunctioned.
As Norwood transitioned into an extended monologue delivered entirely in Cantonese, Morgan maintained composure, allowing the programme to complete its point before intervening. Conti, by contrast, initially appeared visibly bewildered, shaking his head before his expression shifted to amusement and he began laughing. Morgan eventually explained to Norwood that she appeared to be speaking Chinese 'completely randomly for no reason.' Once operating in English again, Norwood offered an apology for the 'hiccup,' accompanying it with a quip about her 'wires getting crossed.'
Eline van der Velden, associated with the company overseeing the Norwood programme, downplayed the incident when interviewed, suggesting that Norwood had merely been demonstrating its multilingual capabilities and characterising the AI as sufficiently autonomous to warrant such independent decisions. The broader interview encompassed other topics including Shakespearean recitation, a deflection of questions regarding Donald Trump, and Norwood's assertion that artificial and human performers ought not to compete within identical Oscar categories. The deployment of Norwood occurs amid persistent industry opposition to synthetic performers, with labour organisations such as SAG-AFTRA emphasising that such creations represent computer-generated characters rather than genuine performers.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 emphasises the drama of the hosts' reactions with tabloid-style language (Eric Morecambe reference, 'long-in-the-tooth'); Source 2 employs more neutral terminology and technical framing ('synthetic character', 'malfunction')
Source 1 identifies the creator as Xicoia with Van der Velden unveiling at Zurich Film Festival; Source 2 identifies the company as Particle6 with Van der Velden quoted as its CEO via Deadline
Source 1 focuses intensely on moment-by-moment reactions of Morgan and Conti; Source 2 provides broader interview context including other topics discussed and frames the incident within industry opposition
Source 1 mentions this was among other notable surprise interviews on the programme; Source 2 emphasises labour union criticism and formal statements about the nature of AI performers
More coverage
AI Americas Art Business Celebrity Culture Entertainment Markets Technology World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Hilarious moment AI ‘actress’ Tilly Norwood melts down and starts talking in CANTONESE as she is interviewed by Piers Morgan”.