Academy Updates Oscar Eligibility Rules to Require Human-Led Acting and Writing

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued updated rules for Oscar eligibility on Friday, specifying that acting must be demonstrably performed by humans and writing must be human-authored to qualify for nominations. The Academy described these requirements as a substantive change to the rules for the Oscars.

Outside of acting and writing, the Academy stated that the use of AI tools neither helps nor harms a film's chances of nomination.

The Academy added that it and each branch will judge achievements by considering the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when selecting award winners. If questions arise about generative AI use, the Academy reserves the right to request more information on the nature of the use and human authorship.

The new rules also expand eligibility in the international film category to include films that won top awards from festivals such as Cannes, Venice, and Toronto.

The Academy did not impose a broader ban on AI in films. Technology has integrated into filmmaking for decades, with computer-generated imagery (CGI) widely used since the 1990s. Recent examples highlight AI's expanding role in the industry.

Actor Val Kilmer, who died in 2025, is set to be recreated using AI technology for a lead role in an upcoming movie. London-based actor and comedian Eline van der Velden created an entirely fake AI actor last year. Two years ago, the union representing Hollywood writers went on strike, with a key issue being film and TV studios' use of AI to write scripts.

The basis of AI tools involves large language models trained on human-created text, images, and video over decades. Hollywood studios, actors, and authors have filed lawsuits against AI companies alleging copyright infringement.