The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that films that use artificial intelligence (AI) are now eligible to win Oscars at the Academy Awards on Monday, reflecting AI’s growing presence in the entertainment industry.
Under updated rules, generative AI or other digital tools will “neither help nor harm” a film’s chances of being nominated. The guidelines were developed with the Academy’s Science and Technology Council’s input.
Generative AI, capable of creating text, images, videos, or audio from a simple prompt, played a role in some of this year’s award-winning films. However, while the technology is becoming more common in production, the Academy emphasized that human creativity will continue to be central when selecting winners.
Oscar-winning films are already using AI tools
One of the most high-profile examples came in March when actor Adrien Brody won Best Actor for his role in “The Brutalist”, which used AI to refine his Hungarian accent in the film.
Similarly, Emilia Perez, a musical that took home an Oscar, employed voice-cloning technology to enhance the singing performances of its cast.
These tools can replicate voices, shift visual appearances, and match artistic styles with striking accuracy, making them popular in film and music studios. However, they’ve also raised concerns across the industry.
The Oscars have ruled on the use of generative AI in movies: while not outright condemning it, any nomination will “take into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship” and that AI use will “neither help nor harm” the chances of nomination pic.twitter.com/ZbcYLzNFKh
— Ryan W. Mead (@rwmead) April 21, 2025
During the 2023 Hollywood strikes, actors and screenwriters cited AI as a major threat to their livelihoods. On a picket line, actress Susan Sarandon told the BBC, “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.”
Hollywood strikes brought AI concerns to the forefront
Writers, especially, are concerned that studios might utilize AI systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT for research, script treatments, and even full screenplay drafts, reducing opportunities for human writers.
As part of the agreements that ended the strikes, unions secured protections to limit how studios can use AI-generated content and likenesses. The contracts aim to ensure that artists maintain control over their work and identity.
Despite these safeguards, concerns persist. Actress Scarlett Johansson has spoken out about the potential misuse of her image or voice through AI tools. Meanwhile, animators say the technology is still far from capable of matching the emotional depth and complexity required for award-winning storytelling.
“It’s like having a bad writer help you,” said Jonathan Kendrick, co-founder and chairman of global streaming service Rokit Flix. “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.”
Under additional rule changes, Academy members must now watch all nominated films in a category before they can vote in the final round. The update aims to promote fairer judging amid a rapidly evolving creative landscape.
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