The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that AI-generated actors and scripts are now ineligible for the Oscars. The new rules, released on Friday, reshape eligibility criteria for Hollywood's highest honors and directly address the growing use of generative artificial intelligence in filmmaking.
According to the Academy's official release, 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. Similarly, screenplays must be human-authored to qualify for writing honors. The Academy also reserves the right to ask for further details on how any movie used generative AI during the submission process, ensuring transparency and protecting human creativity.
The rules come as a project featuring an AI-generated version of Val Kilmer, who died in 2025, raised direct questions about digital performances after death. Meanwhile, AI "actress" Tilly Norwood has been making headlines after talent agents expressed interest in representing the digital character. The Academy's decision formalizes protections that were sought during the actors' and writers' strikes in 2023, where AI was a major sticking point.
The rules do not completely ban AI in filmmaking. Generative AI can still be used as a tool in film creation, with the Academy making it clear that only human performers and writers are eligible for distinction as creative authors. This distinction between AI as a tool versus AI as a creator is key to the new regulations.
The 99th Academy Awards will take place on March 14, 2027, at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, considering films released between January 1 and December 31, 2026.
