Academy Announces Major Rule Changes for 99th Oscars: AI Protections and Expanded International Film Eligibility
The 99th Oscars will see significant rule changes announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including AI protections for actors and writers and expanded eligibility for international films. The Academy stated that these changes are a response to feedback from the global filmmaking community and aim to address barriers to entry in the eligibility process. The rules and eligibility standards of the Academy have always evolved alongside technological advancements, and AI is no exception. Each year, the awards rules and guidelines are reviewed and refined.
One of the key changes is that only roles demonstrably performed by humans with their consent are eligible for Acting awards. This means that AI creations like Tilly Norwood will not be able to win a Best Actress Oscar. The production company behind Norwood, Particle6, did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment. The Academy also now requires screenplays to be human-authored and reserves the right to investigate the use of generative AI in any submission.
Human actors can now be nominated for multiple performances in the same category if those performances receive enough votes to land in the top five. This change allows actors like Anne Hathaway, with multiple movies scheduled for release in 2026, to potentially sweep the nominations. Previously, an actor could only receive one nomination per category, even if they had multiple high-ranking performances.
International films can still be the official selection of their countries, but now they can also qualify by winning the top prize at major international festivals like Cannes, Venice, or Sundance. The new rules allow multiple films from the same country to compete if they are critically acclaimed, shifting the honor from a geopolitical entity to the filmmakers themselves. The film community has largely reacted positively to these changes, particularly praising the move to protect creative jobs by ensuring that only human performances are eligible for awards.
The Academy's Awards Committee, along with branch executive committees, oversees the rules, including the International Feature Film Executive Committee and the Scientific and Technical Awards Executive Committee. These rule changes are set to take effect next year, applying to films released in 2026.