Actors created with artificial intelligence will not be eligible for Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Friday as it launched a crackdown on the use of artificial intelligence.
The Academy says AI actors and writers are not eligible for Oscars
The new rules include a requirement that only real live human performers — not their AI avatars — be eligible for the film world’s biggest prizes, and that scripts must be written by a person, not a chatbot.
“Only roles listed in the film’s statutory bill and demonstrably performed by people with their consent will be considered eligible in the Acting category,” the academy said.
“In the writing categories, the rules codify that scripts must be created by humans to be eligible.”
Why did the Academy take this step?
The decision comes days after an AI version of the late Val Kilmer was introduced to an audience of moviegoers, a year after the ‘Top Gun’ star’s death.
In the acting categories, the Academy set a clear rule. Only roles that are “demonstrably performed by people with their consent” will be considered eligible for the Oscar. This means that AI-generated characters or digital avatars cannot be nominated, even if they appear in the film.
The same rule applies to writing. The Academy said “only screenplays created by humans” can be eligible for any writing award. Scripts written by chatbots or other AI tools will not be accepted.
The Academy also reserved the right to request additional information about the film’s use of artificial intelligence. If a studio submits a film, the Academy may ask for details on how much human labor went into the performance or script.
The new rules seem to address a specific case. Actor Val Kilmer died in 2025. Shortly after his death, an AI version of him was created for a movie called ‘As Deep as the Grave’. A younger, digital version of Kilmer appeared in the film’s trailer. His family supported the project and allowed access to his video archives.
That begged the question. Could AI performance win an Oscar? The Academy has now answered this question with a clear no.
The issue of AI has been a sensitive one in Hollywood for years. In 2023, the actors and writers went on strike for months. One of the main concerns was that studios could use artificial intelligence to replace human workers. The new Oscar rules send a message that human creativity remains at the heart of the industry.
More rule changes announced
The Academy has also changed other rules. Actors can now be nominated for multiple performances in the same category. Previously, if an actor gave two strong performances in one year, only the one with the most votes received a nomination. This rule has now been removed.
The rules for Best International Feature have also changed. Until now, only a film selected by an official national body could apply. Under the new system, a non-English-language film can also qualify if it wins the top prize at a major festival, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Busan or Toronto. The director’s name will appear on the trophy next to the country’s name.
