The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made an update to its rules for the Oscars in 2027, specifically covering the application of artificial intelligence within film production and widening the criteria for international films.
The new rules, which were disclosed on Friday by the Associated Press, reflect how the Academy is adapting to advancements in technology and increasing global involvement in the film industry.
Academy CEO Bill Kramer said the updates reflect efforts to keep the awards relevant. “As the academy becomes more global, we need to think about how we are inviting international films into the Oscars conversation,” he said.
AI allowed, but human authorship remains central
The Academy for the first time has made it mandatory for its members to use generative AI in films. It is clearly stated that the usage of AI would not make any difference to the eligibility of a film.
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The Academy has, however, made it very clear that there should be human involvement during the creative process. ““Humans have to be at the center of the creative process,” Lynette Howell Taylor commented.
The performances of actors should be done by human beings and this would be one of the most important criteria for the film to qualify for the Oscars. Even in screenwriting categories, the same rule applies that scripts should be written by humans.
The Academy has even taken the liberty of making further disclosure in case of more AI involvement in movies.
Major overhaul in international film category
The Academy has also expanded eligibility criteria for international films, a category long criticised for being restrictive and influenced by national submissions.
Under the revised rules, films that win top honours at major festivals—such as Cannes, Venice and Toronto—can now qualify directly, even if they are not submitted by their home countries.
Eligible awards include:
Palme d’Or at Cannes
Golden Lion at Venice
Platform Prize at Toronto
Golden Bear at Berlin
Key awards from Busan and Sundance
In another shift, the award will now formally recognise the film and its creators rather than focusing primarily on the submitting country.
Other key changes across categories
Acting categories have also been brought into line with other categories by permitting actors to receive multiple nominations within the same acting category for various performances in the same year.
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Further, there have been clarifications made in regard to original songs. For songs that are heard during the credits, there should be an overlap between the song and the last 15 seconds of the film.
The Academy believes that these revisions are part of their continuous process to stay current with modern filmmaking techniques and standards.
