The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced significant rule changes for the 99th Oscars, including protections against artificial intelligence (AI) in acting and writing categories. According to NPR, these modifications also expand eligibility criteria for international films and allow actors to receive multiple nominations within a single category.
Key Takeaways
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced major rule changes for the Oscars, including banning AI-generated performances from acting awards and allowing multiple nominations for a single actor in one category. These updates also expand eligibility criteria for international films.
- The Academy clarified that only human-performed roles are eligible for acting awards
- Multiple nominations for an actor in the same category are now allowed
- International films can qualify by winning top prizes at major festivals like Cannes or Venice
- Changes address concerns about AI use in filmmaking and aim to modernize Oscar eligibility
The new rules specify that only roles 'demonstrably performed by humans with their consent' are eligible for Acting awards, explicitly excluding AI-generated performances. This change comes in response to recent developments such as the posthumous completion of Val Kilmer's performance using AI technology and the creation of entirely fake AI actors.
Additionally, screenplays must be 'human-authored,' though the Academy reserves the right to investigate generative AI use in submissions. Actors can now receive multiple nominations in the same category if their performances earn enough votes to land in the top five, a change from previous rules that limited an actor to one nomination per category.
International films have expanded pathways to qualification, including winning top prizes at major festivals like Cannes or Venice. The Academy's Awards Committee oversees these changes, which are scheduled to take effect next year for films released in 2026. These updates reflect the evolving landscape of filmmaking technology and aim to address barriers to entry while protecting creative jobs.
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