The Academy rules AI performances are ineligible for Oscars

The Academy won't be handing over the golden statuette to robots anytime soon. In new rules announced May 1, the Academy ​of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has ruled that AI performances are not eligible for an Oscar. Filmmakers can still utilize AI tools in their submitted works, but only human actors and human-authored screenplays will be considered for the body's highest honors. The move aligns with AI agreements won during the 2023 Writers' Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA strikes and addresses growing tension over the presence of generative AI tools across artistic industries. For example, a recent trailer for the upcoming historical adventure film As Deep as the Grave, featuring an entirely AI-generated recreation of the late Val Kilmer, caused widespread furor among fans who recoiled at the on-screen digital likeness. Prior to his death, Kilmer created an AI version of his speaking voice with UK tech company Sonantic. Other celebrities, like Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine, have worked with AI company ElevenLabs to clone their voices, as well. But while some celebs are getting ahead of their AI counterparts, others are fighting back against nonconsensual deepfake