The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced several major rule changes for the 99th Academy Awards (taking place in 2027), focusing on AI restrictions, acting nominations, and international film eligibility. Among the important rules are screenplays must be written by humans, not chatbots, to qualify and acting performances must be demonstrably performed by humans with their consent to be eligible. Noted Indian actors, lyricists, writers and filmmakers spoke to us about their thoughts on the same.
Noted screen and dialogue writer and the name behind films like Madras Cafe (2013) and Piku (2015), Juhi Chaturvedi says, “Writing is the sum total of a life lived, experiences I have had, it’s a deep quest that a writer has to want to know things, that pushes you to explore the unknown. That’s what it takes to write an original screenplay written by human beings. Words breathe oxygen into an abstract entity. You pour what you have cried and laugh about into your writing, that’s the human quality in a piece of cinematic writing. AI is fed in not lived in, so it’s an amazing decision by the Academy.
Screenwriter and lyricist Niren Bhatt known for films like Munjya (2024) and Stree 2 (2024) says, “I don’t think such a rule is required currently. We will have to wait and see till, as they claim, AGI (Artificial General Intelligence – next step of AI, machines with consciousness) is developed. Currently AI is just a tool, that too, not very effective. Can do labor work of typing things out for you at best. Any writer worth his salt can tell you that the ideas it generates are all mostly borrowed and useless. You can’t develop a Dhurandhar by putting in a prompt. And where it is currently, I don’t see a possibility of such a thing happening in the near future. Most of the directors, studios, and writers can easily spot the script or any part of it written by AI, because they all read the same and are mostly uninteresting and monotonous. So, I don’t think any such rules are required currently, and if at all they will be required in future, our species will not be in a position to make any rules.”
