The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released updated Oscar eligibility rules last Friday, explicitly specifying for the first time that only acting “demonstrably performed by humans” and writing that “must be human-authored” can be nominated for an Academy Award.

The Academy described this rule change as a “substantive” modification to Oscar eligibility criteria. This marks the first time in the Academy’s history that acting and screenwriting have been explicitly required to be performed and created by humans.

Core Requirements of the New Rules

Under the updated eligibility requirements, the Academy has specified that performances must be “demonstrably performed by humans” and screenplays must be “human-authored.” This new rule comes as the use of AI technology in film production expands at an unprecedented pace.

However, the Academy did not issue a broad ban on AI use in films. For areas beyond acting and writing — such as visual effects, sound design, and other technical categories — the Academy stated that the use of AI tools “neither helps nor harms the chances of achieving a nomination.” The Academy emphasized: “When choosing which movie to award, the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship will be taken into account.”

Industry Context

In recent years, the application of AI in film and television production has drawn increasing attention. The late actor Val Kilmer (who died in 2025) is set to be recreated using AI technology to play a lead role in an upcoming film. Last year, London-based actor and comedian Eline van der Velden announced she had created an entirely fictional AI actor and made it “a global superstar.”

Two years ago, when the union representing Hollywood writers went on strike, a central issue in the dispute was film and TV studios using AI to write scripts.

Ongoing Legal Disputes

Meanwhile, Hollywood studios, actors, and writers have filed copyright infringement lawsuits against several AI companies, alleging that the training basis of AI models — the text, images, and video used to train large language models (LLMs) — infringes on human creators’ copyrights.

The Academy stated: “If questions arise regarding the aforementioned use of generative artificial intelligence, the Academy reserves the right to request more information about the nature of the use and human authorship.”

Analysts suggest that this new rule marks the traditional film industry’s first formal delineation of AI technology boundaries and could have far-reaching implications for AI applications across the entertainment industry.

Source: BBC News

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially issued new award eligibility requirements on Friday, explicitly stating that acting performances and screenwriting generated by artificial intelligence will be excluded from Oscar consideration.

This decision marks Hollywood’s first institutional effort to draw a clear line between human creators and AI-generated content as AI technology rapidly penetrates the film and television industry.

Core Provisions of the New Rules

Under the Academy’s latest guidelines, performers eligible for Oscar acting categories must be “real human performers.” Any “virtual actors” created through AI generation, deepfake technology, or digital compositing will not qualify for nomination. Similarly, in the writing categories, screenplays generated entirely by AI will be barred from competition.

Notably, the rules do not completely ban AI from filmmaking. The Academy clarified that AI used as an辅助 tool — such as for visual effects, digital restoration in post-production, or scene enhancement — remains permitted. The key principle is that AI cannot replace human dominance in core creative roles.

Industry Context

The timing of this regulation is closely tied to AI’s rapid infiltration of the entertainment sector. The massive Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023 were driven in part by concerns over AI replacing human creative work and performance. While the subsequent labor agreements included some restrictions on AI usage, the Academy’s ruling represents the formal confirmation of AI boundaries by the industry’s highest honors system.

As generative AI technology continues to advance, AI has already become capable of producing realistic digital humans, synthetic voices, and complete screenplays. The Academy’s move aims to preserve the Oscars’ position as one of the highest honors for human artistic achievement.

Industry Response

Industry professionals generally view the regulation as necessary and timely. Multiple film directors and producers have stated that the Oscars should maintain their position as a殿堂 of human artistic creation, rather than becoming a showcase for AI-generated content.

However, some technology experts argue that as AI capabilities continue to evolve, this definition may need to be revisited in the future. The line between AI-assisted creation and AI-dominated creation may become increasingly blurred.

Source: BBC News