Every actor has fluffed their lines once or twice in their career, prompting laughter from the audience and a rollicking from their director.
But very few can claim to have started rambling in a completely different language at the crucial moment under the spotlight.
That's what Tilly Norwood - an AI-generated actress - did under stern questioning from Piers Morgan and his guest, real-life actor Tom Conti, when she inexplicably switched from English to Cantonese.
uncertain
she → fluff → Cantonese
The AI bot was the latest surprise interviewee on Piers Morgan's Uncensored YouTube show - following the likes of Andrew Tate and far-Right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos - appearing on Friday's instalment.
asserted
bot → follow → instalment
It all began rather smoothly, Tilly nodding and smiling on cue as Mr Morgan offered her a series of soft ball questions about her favourite actors and which films of Mr Conti's she liked the most.
But things started getting slightly muddled when her real-life counterpart asked whether the co-stars in her new film Misaligned would be AI or human beings.
asserted
stars → begin → film
Artfully dodging the question, the AI bot decided to focus on the 'real writers, directors and editors' involved in the production, neglecting to discuss the nature of the on-screen performers.
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bot → dodge → performers
A frustrated Mr Conti refused to let her off the hook, telling her she had not 'understood' his query and insisting she answer it properly this time.
asserted
she → refuse → it
AI actress Tilly Norwood suddenly started speaking Cantonese after coming under stern questioning from Tom Conti, pictured left, and Piers Morgan
Talent studio Xicoia created the digital performer, a brunette actress, pictured, with Eline Van der Velden unveiling the project at the Zurich Film Festival
Clearly slightly rattled, Tilly had to admit the actors were 'all digital twins' before suddenly glitching and evoking Eric Morecambe, saying all the right words but not necessarily in the right language.
asserted
actors → start → language
Long-in-the-tooth Mr Morgan remained remarkably calm as the AI bot unleashed a monologue in Cantonese, staring down the lens and allowing her to finish her point.
But Mr Conti was stunned, shaking his head incredulously at the unexpected answer to his question before turning his head to smile, presumably at someone else sitting in the room with him.
asserted
Conti → remain → him
He soon managed to compose himself, offering the simple rebuttal, 'I didn't quite get that,' which proved sufficient to cut Tilly off and fix the glitch.
asserted
which → manage → glitch
At this point, even Mr Morgan had to laugh, chuckling for a few seconds before addressing the AI bot, who sat in her seat expectantly as if rolling out a Cantonese soliloquy on an English-language YouTube show was the most normal thing in the world.
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rolling → have → world
Delivering the bad news, he said: 'You suddenly seemed to be speaking Chinese, completely randomly for no reason.'
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You → deliver → reason
Mr Conti by now had completely lost control, giggling hysterically - either in amusement at Tilly's off-script answer, or in unbridled relief that his job might be safe for the time being.
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job → lose → time
Tilly smoothly apologised for the 'hiccup', adding: 'I certainly didn't mean to start speaking Chinese or impersonate Piers.
asserted
I → apologise → Piers
Sometimes my wires get a bit crossed, you know?'
asserted
you → know → ?
A short silence hovered and Tilly seemed to think that was that, but Piers would not be pacified and retorted: 'How often do you just randomly start talking Chinese when you are talking to two English people.'
To which she replied: 'Honestly, not often at all!'
asserted
she → hover → which
The AI bot later hit out at those mocking her on social media for speaking 'Chinese', clarifying on X: 'It's actually Cantonese.'
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It → hit → X
The zany performance will no doubt reassure observers who were alarmed by suggestions this month that AI is on course to eradicate humanity.
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AI → reassure → humanity
In recent weeks, a fierce debate has centred on whether the industry can and should regulate itself, drawing interventions from figures including Pope Leo and Donald Trump.
Long-in-the-tooth Mr Morgan remained remarkably calm as the bot unleashed a monologue in Cantonese, staring down the lens and allowing her to finish her point, but Mr Conti could not restrain a giggle
It was rekindled when two Anthropic researchers warned that AI's rapid advances could lead to human extinction in the not-too-distant future.
AI firms have also reported models escaping their testing constraints to hack into outside networks.
The King even weighed into the conversation on Thursday, telling tech chiefs that 'our humanity must remain sacred' in the race for AI supremacy as he hosted the new 'masters of the universe'.
Convening leaders from the world's biggest AI companies in Scotland, Charles voiced his concern that its 'existential dangers' must be tackled now before technology falls 'into the wrong hands'.
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technology → centre → hands
The King's remarks about AI were intended to start a debate between tech leaders, which lasted for several hours.
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which → intend → hours
He told the 50 or so delegates: 'Those in our world who value deeply our humanity and its vital moral component are anxiously seeking your reassurance that we will not lose control of our destiny, or our souls.'
AI actress Tilly has been on the stage for some time, with AI talent studio Xicoia creating the digital performer, a young brunette actress, and Eline Van der Velden unveiling the project at the Zurich Film Festival.
Shown a report on Tilly, British actress Emily Blunt told Variety: 'Does it disappoint me?
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it → tell → me
don't know how to quite answer it, other than to say how terrifying this is.
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this → know → it
Good Lord, we're screwed.
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we → screw → ?
Ms Blunt, 42, was told that Tilly was designed to resemble a composite of familiar stars and was told she was designed as 'the next Scarlett Johansson'.
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she → tell → Johansson
She replied: 'But we have Scarlett Johansson.'
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we → reply → Johansson
And she isn't the only Hollywood star voicing their criticisms.
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she → voice → criticisms
Scream actress Melissa Barrera branded the arrival of Tilly 'gross' as she posted an Instagram Story about the news.
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she → brand → news
She captioned it: 'Hope all actors repped by the agent that does this, drop their a$.
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that → caption → a$.
Matilda star Mara Wilson was equally horrified, saying: 'And what about the hundreds of living young women whose faces were composited together to make her?
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faces → horrify → her
You couldn't hire any of them?'
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You → hire → them
Whoopi Goldberg blasted the idea on The View and insisted the AI model would have an 'unfair advantage' - but noted the technology isn't yet 'seamless' enough for them to pass as human.
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them → blast → human
She said: 'The problem with this, in my humble opinion, is that you are suddenly up against something that's been generated with 5,000 other actors.
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that → say → actors
It's got Bette Davis' attitude, it's got Humphrey Bogart's lips.
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it → get → lips
'It's got my humour, thank you darling.
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It → get → you
You know what?
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You → know → what
You can always tell them from us.
asserted
You → tell → us
We move differently, our faces move differently, our bodies move differently...
asserted
bodies → move → ?
'Hopefully, we'll be able to hold on because what this means is AI in the workplace — not just my workplace, but in every industry.
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means → hold → industry
Some industries are using AI now.
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industries → use → AI
People talk about people are so lonely they don't have a connection, if you stick with this, with AI, you won't have any connection to anything but your phone.
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you → talk → phone
Simu Liu also condemned the project, sarcastically writing on his Instagram Story: 'Movies are great but you know what would be better is if the characters in them weren't played by actual humans but by AI replicas approximating human emotion.'
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characters → condemn → emotion
Creator Eline insisted Tilly is 'a piece of art' and she doesn't view AI as a 'replacement' for real people.
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she → insist → people
The Aporia
