Oscars disqualify fully AI-generated actors and screenplays

The organisation behind the Academy Awards introduced updated Oscar guidelines on Friday, including new provisions addressing the role of generative artificial intelligence in filmmaking.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences stated that only performances "credited in the film's legal billing and demonstrably performed by humans with their consent" will qualify for Academy Awards consideration. In the same vein, the academy clarified that screenplays must be "human-authored" to be eligible.

Additionally, the academy noted that it reserves the right to request further details regarding a film's use of AI and to verify what it described as "human authorship."

These updates arrive at a time when an independent production is being developed using an AI-generated version of Val Kilmer. At the same time, an AI "actress" named Tilly Norwood continues to attract attention. Meanwhile, the rapid progress of new video-generation models has led some filmmakers to voice serious concerns about the future of their craft. Artificial intelligence was also a central issue during the actors' and writers' strikes in 2023.

Beyond Hollywood, similar debates are emerging in other creative fields. At least one novel has already been withdrawn by its publisher over suspected AI involvement, and several writers' organisations have begun stating that works created with AI assistance may not qualify for award recognition.