Oscar’s New Rules: Academy Says Only Human Actors, Writers Eligible

The Academy has updated its rules for the Oscars. Acting and writing categories will now be limited to human creators.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has introduced new guidelines around the use of AI in films. The body has made it clear that only human actors and writers will be eligible for awards in acting and writing categories.

As the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking grows, the Academy has revised its eligibility rules. It stated that writing submitted for Oscars “must be human-authored.” It also said that acting must be “demonstrably performed by humans” to qualify.

The Academy described this change as a substantive update to its rules.

At the same time, it clarified that the use of AI tools in other areas of filmmaking will not affect a film’s chances. The statement said that such tools “neither help nor harm” a project in nominations.

The Academy added that each branch will judge a film based on how much a human is involved in the creative process. If there are questions about the use of AI, the Academy can ask for more details about how it was used and the level of human contribution.

This action comes at a time when AI tools are being used more widely in films. There have been discussions around recreating actors using AI and even creating digital performers.

In recent years, issues around AI also led to concerns among writers and actors. The use of AI in scriptwriting was one of the key points during industry strikes.

The Academy has not banned AI in filmmaking. Technology has been part of films for many years, including the use of computer-generated imagery. The new rules focus on keeping acting and writing awards limited to human work.