By Blessing Nweke

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a significant change to its eligibility rules, stating that only performances and scripts created by humans will qualify for Oscar consideration. The update comes as artificial intelligence tools become increasingly integrated into filmmaking.

Under the revised guidelines, acting must be “demonstrably performed by humans,” while writing must be entirely human-authored. The Academy described the move as a “substantive” shift, marking the first time it has explicitly required human involvement in these categories.

The decision reflects growing concern across Hollywood about the rapid expansion of AI-generated content. In recent months, filmmakers have experimented with recreating actors digitally, including plans to use AI to revive Val Kilmer, who died in 2025, for a leading role in an upcoming film. Meanwhile, London-based performer Eline van der Velden revealed she had developed a fully AI-generated actor intended to achieve global fame.

Tensions around AI were also a central issue during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, where writers pushed back against studios’ potential use of AI to generate scripts.

Despite the tighter rules for acting and writing, the Academy stopped short of banning AI tools altogether. It clarified that the use of AI in other aspects of filmmaking would neither advantage nor disadvantage a project’s chances of receiving a nomination.

Instead, voters will weigh how much human creativity contributed to a film’s authorship. The Academy also reserved the right to request additional details about AI usage if questions arise.

While technologies like CGI have long been part of cinema, the Academy’s move signals a clear boundary as AI continues to reshape the industry.