Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Takes a Stand Against AI in Film

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has initiated a new policy regarding the involvement of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, declaring on Friday that AI-generated actors will not qualify for Oscar awards.

The newly established guidelines stipulate that only performances by actual human actors will be eligible for the prestigious awards, and scripts must originate from human writers rather than chatbots.

The announcement specified, “In the acting category, only roles that have been legally credited to the film and are shown to have been acted by a human with consent will be considered eligible.” Additionally, in the screenplay section, it is emphasized that a script must be produced by a human to qualify.

This decision comes a year after the passing of a well-known actor and shortly after an AI version of Val Kilmer was presented to a gathering of cinema executives.

A preview for the film “As Deep as the Grave” showcases a younger, digital version of Kilmer, who tells another character, “Don’t be afraid of the dead, and don’t be afraid of me.”

The project received enthusiastic backing from Kilmer’s family, who provided access to his video archives for recreating various phases of the actor’s career.

The conversation around artificial intelligence is particularly charged in the entertainment sector, especially following the recent actors’ and writers’ strike that highlighted how unregulated technology could jeopardize their jobs.

Moreover, the Academy has updated its rules for Best International Feature nominations. Previously, only films endorsed by official national bodies could qualify, which posed challenges for significant films from authoritarian regimes.

As an example, Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s film “It Was Just an Accident” was nominated under France earlier this year. Now, films in languages other than English can also apply for this category if they secure qualifying awards at major global film festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Busan, Venice, and Toronto.

Under this updated framework, films are recognized over countries, and the director will be credited along with the country, if relevant, on the award plaque, as announced by the Academy.