AI actors and writers not eligible for Oscars: The Academy

The Academy has ruled that AI-generated actors and screenplays will not qualify for Oscars, making human performance and authorship mandatory. The new rules come amid growing use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking and days after an AI version of Val Kilmer was unveiled.Oscars: Academy excludes AI-created acting, writing. (AP Photo/John Locher)(AP)Actors created with artificial intelligence will not be eligible for an Oscar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Friday as it launched a crackdown on the use of AI.Academy says AI actors, writers not eligible for OscarsNew rules include a requirement that only real, live human performers -- not their AI avatars -- are eligible for the film world's biggest prizes, and screenplays must have been penned by a person, rather than a chatbot."In the Acting category, only roles credited in the film's legal billing and demonstrably performed by humans with their consent will be considered eligible," the Academy said."In the Writing categories, the rules codify that screenplays must be human-authored to be eligible."Why did the Academy take this stepThe ruling comes days after an AI version of the late Val Kilmer was unveiled to an audience of cinema owners, a year after the ‘Top Gun’ star's death.In the acting categories, the Academy has set a clear rule. Only roles that are "demonstrably performed by humans with their consent" will be considered eligible for an Oscar . This means that AI-generated characters or digital avatars cannot be nominated, even if they appear in a film.The same rule applies to writing. The Academy stated that "only human-authored screenplays" can be eligible for any writing award. Screenplays written by chatbots or other AI tools will not be accepted.The Academy also reserved the right to request more information about a film's use of AI. If a studio submits a film, the Academy may ask for details about how much human work went into the performance or script.The new rules appear to address a specific case. Actor Val Kilmer died in 2025. Shortly after his death, an AI version of him was created for a film called ‘As Deep as the Grave’. A younger, digital version of Kilmer appeared in the film's trailer. His family supported the project and gave access to his video archives .This raised a question. Could an AI performance win an Oscar? The Academy has now answered that question with a clear no.The issue of AI has been sensitive in Hollywood for years. In 2023, actors and writers went on strike for months. One of the main concerns was that studios might use AI to replace human workers . The new Oscar rules send a message that human creativity remains at the heart of the industry.Other Rule Changes AnnouncedThe Academy also changed other rules. Actors can now be nominated for multiple performances in the same category. Before this, if an actor gave two strong performances in one year, only the one with the most votes would get the nomination. That rule has now been removed.The rules for Best International Feature have also changed. Until now, only a film chosen by an official national body could enter. Under the new system, a non-English language film can also qualify if it wins a top prize at a major festival, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Busan or Toronto. The director's name will appear on the trophy alongside the country name.