The discussion of artificial intelligence in the world of cinema is no longer limited to the technical tools behind the set. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has updated its rules for the 99th Oscar Awards to be held in 2027 and has clearly drawn the boundaries of generative artificial intelligence in the acting and screenplay categories. According to the new rules, acting performances created by artificial intelligence and scripts not written by humans will not be considered eligible for Oscar nominations.
However, this does not mean that artificial intelligence is completely banned from the filmmaking process. The Academy states that the use of artificial intelligence tools will not automatically make a film advantageous or disadvantageous, and that the main criterion is the presence of human labor at the center of the creative process. Human requirement for acting at the Oscars The most striking part of the updated rules concerns the acting categories.
Accordingly, in order for a performance to be considered eligible for Oscar nomination, it must be “performed openly by people, with their consent.” This statement draws a direct line, especially for the use of digital copies of real actors, performances recreated with artificial intelligence, and synthetic actors. This decision comes after the “AI actor” debates that have been growing in Hollywood recently. In particular, the digital recreation of deceased actors or the unauthorized use of actors’ images and voices has become one of the most sensitive topics in the industry.
Here, the Academy focuses not on technology but on the quality of rewarded labor. In other words, techniques such as visual effects, digital make-up or performance capture are not seen as a problem on their own. However, the basis of the acting performance nominated for the award must be a real human performance. “Human writing” will also be sought in the script. The new Oscar rules are not limited to acting alone. In the scenario categories, the text must be written by a human.
The Academy clearly states that in order for screenplays to be considered eligible for nomination, they must be “human-authored”, that is, based on human writing. There is an important distinction at this point. The use of AI tools in research, ideation, editing or ancillary processes does not automatically disqualify. However, if the creative backbone of the scenario is created by artificial intelligence, the relevant work will not be evaluated in the Oscar screenplay categories.
The Academy may also request additional information from the production teams regarding the use of artificial intelligence and the level of human contribution when deemed necessary. This shows that a new era has begun for studios: From now on, not only the film itself, but also how the production process is documented will become important. Artificial intelligence is not completely banned. The new regulation should not be read as “Oscar banned artificial intelligence.” The border drawn by the Academy focuses on a narrower but more critical area: acting and writing.
The use of artificial intelligence-supported tools in visual effects, editing, post-production, restoration, sound editing or technical workflows is not directly prohibited. The Academy’s approach is “was artificial intelligence used?” rather than the question “To whom does the creative achievement that is the subject of the award belong?” It is based on the question. Therefore, the new rules can be considered as a framework that tries to keep human labor at the center of the reward system, rather than a decision that completely excludes technology.
There is an influence of Hollywood strikes behind the decision. Artificial intelligence was one of the main discussion topics of the major writer and actor strikes in Hollywood in 2023. Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have demanded stronger safeguards against the possibility of artificial intelligence replacing the labor of writers and actors. This change in Oscar rules seems to be the equivalent of the same debate on the award system side.
By making human consent and human authorship a requirement for nomination, the academy is sending a clear message to studios: Artificial intelligence can be a supporting tool, but it cannot replace the creative performance that is rewarded. A new era for studios: the use of artificial intelligence will be documented. This change will also have a practical result for production companies. Especially in big-budget films, it will be necessary to document more carefully at what stage, to what extent and for what purpose artificial intelligence tools are used.
If an actor’s face was digitally rejuvenated, a voice model was used, artificial intelligence-supported tools were used during the script development process, or a character’s performance was partially produced synthetically, these processes may need to be disclosed during the nomination period. In short, the use of artificial intelligence in Hollywood does not end. However, the limits of this use are now becoming more visible.
Oscar puts human labor at the center. The Academy’s new rules will further expand the debate to what extent artificial intelligence in the cinema industry will be considered a tool and to what extent it will be considered a creative substitute. On the one hand, there are production processes accelerated by technology, and on the other hand, there are the creative labor of actors and scriptwriters that need to be protected.99.
With the Oscars, this distinction will become more concrete. Artificial intelligence-supported films will be able to remain in the race, but acting performances produced by artificial intelligence and scripts without human writing will not receive Oscar nominations.
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