New Rules for 2026 Oscars Enforce Member Film Viewership and AI Guidelines

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced several guidelines, including that members be required to watch all nominated films prior to voting.

Oscar statuettes are displayed Times Square Studios 23 in New York in January 2006. Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images

The 98th annual Academy Awards will have a new set of rules and guidelines regarding film voting eligibility and regulations regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI).

On April 21, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that members are now mandated to watch all nominated films within a category to be eligible to vote in the final round.

“There will be a preliminary round of voting to determine a shortlist of 10 films, and prior to nominations voting, Casting Directors Branch members will be invited to view a ‘bake-off’ presentation of the shortlisted achievements, including a Q&A with the designated nominees,” it said in a statement.

In the past, members were only encouraged to watch the nominated films and vote where they felt compelled or qualified to, a move that questioned the integrity of voting in the first place.

Among several other guidelines announced, generative AI was a major topic of discussion. When used in filmmaking, the academy noted that it will neither make nor break a nomination.

“With regard to Generative Artificial Intelligence and other digital tools used in the making of the film, the tools neither help nor harm the chances of achieving a nomination,” the statement said.

“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.”

Numerous major motion-picture stars have previously spoken out against AI use in Hollywood productions and scriptwriting, and how or even if it should be used in the industry.

In the last award season, actor Adrien Brody faced controversy after it was discovered that AI was used to enhance the Hungarian accents used in the film “The Brutalist,” with its director justifying that it did not impact overall acting performance.

Meanwhile, issues regarding refugee filmmakers and clarification regarding casting categories were also addressed.

Specifically, the eligibility for filmmakers with refugee or asylum status will be included, but they must be represented by a country not their own.

“The submitting country must confirm that creative control of the film was largely in the hands of citizens, residents, or individuals with refugee or asylum status in the submitting country.”

The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 15, 2026, broadcast live on ABC, and streamed on Hulu.

Comedian and late-night television show host Conan O'Brien will return as host for the second year in a row.