Academy Bars AI Actors and Scripts from Oscar Eligibility

May 3, 2026
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has updated its rules for the 99th Academy Awards, declaring that only human performances and human-authored screenplays will be eligible for Oscars. The organization also reserves the right to request details on AI use in film production.
Academy Bars AI Actors and Scripts from Oscar Eligibility

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced in a press release that only performances demonstrably carried out by humans with their consent and credited in a film’s legal billing will qualify for acting awards at the 99th Oscars. Screenplays must also be human authored to be eligible.

The new rules specify that the Academy may request additional information about a film’s use of generative artificial intelligence and human authorship to determine eligibility. These provisions are part of a broader update to the organization’s awards rules, inclusion standards, and campaign regulations.

Other adjustments include allowing actors to be nominated for multiple performances in the same category if both receive enough votes, expanding the number of statuettes in the Casting category, and increasing the shortlist size in Cinematography. The Academy also introduced new submission options for the International Feature Film category and clarified song eligibility requirements for end credits.

The 99th Academy Awards will consider films released between January 1 and December 31, 2026, with final submission deadlines running through November 2026.

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