US Academy Bars “AI Actors/ Writers” From Awards; 부산 Film Festival Also Included Alongside Cannes, Venice, and Berlin

Academy Awards Completely Exclude “AI” and Elevate the Status of the “Busan International Film Festival”

The most prestigious U.S. Academy Awards (Academy Awards/Oscars) ceremony has halted technological developments that are shaking the very foundation of the film industry. Beginning with next year’s 99th ceremony, the Academy has spelled out a sweeping new rule that completely strips eligibility from actors and scripts created with “artificial intelligence (AI).”

Hollywood’s Decision to Recognize Only “Human Creativity”

According to an official announcement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), in the acting category, only “humans” who are listed on the official cast roster with their consent are eligible for consideration. Scenarios written by chatbots or “AI-generated characters” that imitate the appearance of other actors are strictly excluded. This outcome reflects deep concern that rapidly advancing generative AI technologies—and documentary cases that “restore” the late “Val Kilmer” using AI—could threaten the livelihoods of Hollywood professionals. However, AI use in the production process itself is not completely banned; instead, when selecting award winners, the Academy will evaluate human creative contributions with strict standards.

“Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)” Rises to Stand Beside the World’s Top Three Film Festivals

A bold revision of rules was also carried out to prove the global status of Korea’s film industry. In the Best International Feature Film category, a major international film festival winner will be included for review even if there is no official recommendation from its home committee. Among the list of major film festivals officially recognized by the Academy, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, along with the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals also clearly includes Korea’s “Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).” This is interpreted as a powerful safeguard designed to rescue “independent films” whose submissions were blocked by the censorship and suppression of an authoritarian regime.

New Rules Applied Across the Board, Including Easing Restrictions on Duplicate Candidate Nominations for Actors

The rules restricting actors from being nominated multiple times have also been significantly loosened. If a single actor delivered standout lead performances in two films released in the same year, it becomes possible for both works to be nominated within a single category. All newly revised regulations will be applied across the board to feature films released from January 1 through December 31 of this year.