The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday set new Oscar eligibility rules that require films to be made by human beings from script to screen and limit the use of AI in qualifying entries. [1]
Under the revised standards, nominees must match legal credits and consented human performances, which rules out AI-generated actors and posthumous CGI recreations, according to the Academy. [1] The Academy also reserved the right to examine how much AI was used in a film’s creation if questions arise. [1]
The new policy also lets performers receive multiple nominations in the same category, bringing the acting rules into line with long-standing treatment for writers and directors. [1] The Academy said the changes are meant to keep the awards tied to human creative work even as studios use more generative tools in production. [1]
The rules also change the international feature film race. The Academy dropped the one-film-per-country cap and reduced the amount of involvement required from each country’s film body to avoid conflicts of interest. [1]
The Academy’s tougher line comes as awards bodies wrestle with how to treat machine-made content. The Grammys first took a hard line against AI-generated work in 2023, then later eased that position. [1] Some industry observers have speculated that film awards’ stricter stance could push gaming awards toward similar rules. [1]
The Academy announced the rule changes on 2026-04-30, and they will shape eligibility for the next Oscar cycle. [1]
