In a landmark move for the entertainment industry, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that films created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) are eligible to compete for Oscars.
Under newly announced rules, the Academy stated that the use of AI and digital tools will “neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination.” The updated guidelines recognize the growing role of generative AI in filmmaking, from voice cloning to video editing, while maintaining the core focus on human creativity.
The changes were recommended by the Academy’s Science and Technology Council and reflect an evolving industry where AI is increasingly used in everything from visual effects to post-production sound design.
AI Already Behind Award-Winning Films
Generative AI — capable of producing text, images, video, and audio from simple text prompts — has already played a behind-the-scenes role in recent Oscar-winning productions.
For instance, The Brutalist, which earned Adrian Brody the Best Actor award at this year’s ceremony, used AI tools to refine Brody’s Hungarian accent in post-production. Similarly, the Oscar-winning musical Emilia Perez employed advanced voice-cloning technology to enhance the cast’s singing performances.
The technology’s ability to fine-tune vocal delivery, manipulate appearances, and edit scenes seamlessly has made it a growing part of Hollywood’s creative toolkit.
The Debate: Innovation vs. Ethics
Despite its growing influence, the rise of AI in film remains controversial. Many artists, actors, and writers worry about its potential to undermine creative professions and exploit intellectual property.
During Hollywood’s 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes, AI-generated content was a key sticking point. Writers raised concerns about studios using tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to draft treatments or scripts, potentially replacing human jobs. Actors, too, voiced fears about having their voices, faces, and likenesses cloned without consent.
“If you can take my face, my body, and my voice and make me say or do something that I had no choice about, that’s not a good thing,” actress Susan Sarandon said at the time, speaking from a picket line.
New safeguards around AI use were incorporated into the labor agreements that ended the strikes, offering some protections for creative workers in an AI-powered future.
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The Creative Line: Human Input Still Matters
While AI is increasingly common behind the scenes, animators and filmmakers remain divided on whether it can truly replace human artistry.
Jonathan Kendrick, co-founder and chairman of streaming service Rokit Flix, summed up the skepticism:
“It’s like having a bad writer help you. Sure, it will get an outline done, but if you need something with emotional weight, an AI isn’t going to get you an Oscar.”
For now, the Academy seems to agree. Its new guidelines ensure that while AI can assist in the filmmaking process, the human touch will still be central to winning the industry’s highest honors.
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