Academy Greenlights AI-Assisted Films for Oscar Glory

Films incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in their creation will be eligible to compete for top honors at the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced.

New rules issued by the Academy on Monday clarified that the utilization of AI and other digital tools in filmmaking “will neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination.”

This decision follows instances where generative AI – technology capable of producing text, images, audio, and video based on simple text prompts – played a role in some of the films that received prominent industry accolades in March.

However, the Academy emphasized that human involvement will remain a critical factor in the selection of its winners. The new guidelines regarding the eligibility of films utilizing generative AI tools were recommended by the Academy’s Science and Technology Council.

In other rule changes announced on Monday, Academy members are now required to watch all nominated films within each category to be eligible to participate in the final round of voting that determines the winners.  

The integration of AI in filmmaking became a significant point of discussion after Adrian Brody won the Best Actor award for his performance in “The Brutalist” at this year’s Oscars ceremony in March. The film employed generative AI to refine the actor’s Hungarian accent.  

Subsequently, it was revealed that similar voice-cloning technology was used to enhance the singing performances in the Oscar-winning musical “Emilia Perez.”  

The ability of AI technology to rapidly alter or replicate the tone and style of an artist’s voice, or to perform edits such as subtly modifying someone’s appearance, has contributed to its increasing adoption in music and film production.

Despite its growing use, AI remains a contentious issue, with artists and actors expressing concerns about the source material used to train these tools and the potential impact on their livelihoods.  

Concerns and Limitations:

Actors and screenwriters previously voiced fears about job displacement due to AI during the 2023 strikes in Hollywood.

“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,” actress Susan Sarandon told the BBC from a picket line.

Screenwriters also expressed concerns that studios might seek to reduce costs and save time by utilizing tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT for tasks such as research, treatment development, and scriptwriting, potentially replacing human writers.

Safeguards concerning the use of AI were established as part of the agreements reached between unions and studios that marked the end of the strikes. 

While some actors have seemingly embraced the technology, others, such as Scarlett Johansson, have issued warnings about its potential for misuse of their image or likeness. 

Animators told the BBC in 2024 that current generative AI tools are not yet sophisticated enough to replicate the quality of their work, particularly not to an award-winning standard.  

“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.”

Despite the ongoing debate and limitations, the Academy’s new rules signal a willingness to acknowledge the growing role of AI in the filmmaking process while still emphasizing the importance of human creativity and artistry in achieving Oscar recognition. This development will likely continue to be a significant topic of discussion within the global film industry, including in Ghana’s burgeoning film scene.