The Oscars' new AI statement feels like the final nail in the coffin

AI has been a consistent concern in many creative spheres, but no sector has been quite so actively critical as the film industry. Despite recent SAG-AFTRA strikes and petitions calling for the regulation of AI technology, the Academy has confirmed that AI will not affect future Oscar nominees. Essentially, AI filmmaking is here to stay.

While AI tools for filmmaking can have a positive effect on workflow speed and productivity, job cuts and a perceived decline in human creativity continue to concern those in the filmmaking industry. While the Academy attests that man-made work will continue to be celebrated, could this acceptance of AI technology lead us down a slippery slope where human creativity is outshone by AI? And do we have no choice but to accept it?

In a new rule change for its annual Oscars awards ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences addressed its policy on artificial intelligence in a surprising and controversial move. Its new film eligibility guidelines read: "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 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."

While the rules state that filmmakers must disclose the use of AI in production, this detail didn't ease the strongly divided response from film fans. On the r/news subreddit, one fan responded, "Decisions like this one destroy art rather than make anything better," while another added, "Hollywood is salivating to replace VFX with AI." However, some took a more nihilistic approach, with one user writing, "The genie is out of the bottle. Hollywood is dying and the industry is evolving. It’s a new tool to use, quality and originality will still be judged."

In some ways, it shouldn't come as a surprise, as we've already seen big Oscar-winning films like The Brutalist succeed despite AI controversy. While the future of AI in filmmaking remains unclear, the Academy's latest stance stands to normalise the technology, redefining the industry as we know it, for better or for worse.