The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has approved sweeping new rules for the 99th Academy Awards, formally barring AI-generated performances and AI-written screenplays from award contention — a direct response to growing use of generative AI tools in film production.

The rule change, approved by the Academy’s Board of Governors, is aimed at preserving human authorship at the center of acting and writing categories, even as AI tools become increasingly common in other parts of film production, from visual effects to marketing.

The decision places Hollywood’s most prestigious award body among a small but growing number of creative institutions setting clear boundaries around AI’s role in award-eligible work, as the technology becomes harder to avoid across the entertainment industry.

For audiences and industry watchers, the rule offers some clarity in an otherwise murky debate: AI can assist behind the scenes, but for now, the Oscars want the performances and scripts themselves to remain distinctly human.