Films made with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) are officially eligible to win Oscars.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday issued for the first time rules that allow the use of AI and other digital tools during the submission process because they “neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination.” The academy had considered whether to make it mandatory that AI use be disclosed.
The Academy said new language around eligibility for films made using generative AI tools was recommended by its Science and Technology Council. However, it stressed the importance of human involvement when selecting winners.
“The academy and each branch will judge the achievement, taking into account the degree to which a human was at the heart of the creative authorship when choosing which movie to award,” it said.
For Hollywood’s creative community, which designated AI as Enemy No. 1 during writers and actors’ strikes a few years ago, the new rules come as something of a gut punch. The industry was further roiled during this year’s Academy Awards competition when it was disclosed that Best Actor winner Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”) was aided by GenAI to improve his Hungarian accent.
“The Brutalist” film editor Dávid Jancsó explained in an interview ways in which the movie used AI to polish minor language gaps from Brody and co-star Felicity Jones during a key scene.
Similar voice-cloning was used to improve singing voices in the Oscar-winning musical, “Emilia Perez.”
For several years, artists and actors have objected to the increased use of AI in the creative process and its impact on their jobs. They’ve especially jousted with the studios, which are toying with the idea of scripts, music and other key elements of a movie coming generated by AI. Such tools already are deployed to alter or match the tone and style of an artist, or perform edits such as subtly changing someone’s appearance.
