I’m pretty tired of hearing about, thinking about, and worrying about AI. Technology in our era has rarely come with so much uncertainty. Will it lead to humanity’s downfall or nah? Hollywood, at least Hollywood creative types, have mainly come down on the side of A.I. is not good. We already know one cannot copyright generative AI “art,” but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has also solidified rules pertaining to AI usage with regard to the Oscars. Basically, if your movie uses it, you better be able to prove exactly what and how much if you hope to win a golden statue.
In a piece of news we got from The Hollywood Reporter, on Friday, May 1, AMPAS effectively eliminated any gray area about AI and where the organization stands. The only performances which the board of directors say can receive awards consideration are those “credited in a film’s legal billing and demonstrably performed by humans with their consent.” This wording seems to point toward recreating actors who’ve passed away. One such high-profile example is a production creating a Val Kilmer performance. If ghoulish producers want to use AI of dead people in perpetuity, they at least can’t win Oscars for it.
Additionally, the new AMPAS rules say only human-authored screenplays can be eligible for Oscars. So don’t use ChatGPT to write a screenplay, you silly billies. Or, if I may, to do anything. Think for yourself. “Under Eligibility (Rule Two), which pertains to Generative Artificial Intelligence, the Academy reserves the right to request more information about the nature of AI use and human authorship.” So don’t try to trick people about it, either.
Whether or not businesses will mandate the continued usage of AI, consumers at least have made it pretty clear they don’t want to watch movies or TV shows made from it. And AI won’t win Oscars. Small victories.
Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Letterboxd.