An AI performer will never win a BAFTA. That was the firm answer from the British Academy this week as it rolled out a new set of rules ahead of the 80th BAFTA Film Awards, scheduled for February 21, 2027, in London.
The updates, announced Wednesday, center on how the Academy will handle films that use generative AI in their production. According to a report by Deadline, the new AI clause reads: "Where the use of Generative AI or other digital tools is relevant to the consideration of the work, BAFTA reserves the right to request additional information regarding the nature of such use and the extent of human creative involvement."
BAFTA said the rule was created following consultation with the industry, with the stated aim of reaffirming that the Awards recognize and reward outstanding human creative achievement. The clause will also be added to the rulebooks for other 2027 BAFTA awards beyond the film category.
The question of AI performers came into sharp focus around Tilly Norwood, the AI actor who drew widespread attention last year and is set to make her feature film debut. The Hollywood Reporter asked BAFTA executive director of awards and content Emma Baehr directly whether Norwood would ever be eligible for a BAFTA Film Award. Baehr did not hesitate.
"No. No. That's not human," she said.
Baehr expanded on the Academy's position during a media briefing, acknowledging how quickly the technology is moving. "[Artificial intelligence] is obviously evolving at a very fast pace," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "We're aware that AI and digital tools are used in some areas more than others. But we felt that it was very important that we expanded that and acknowledged that if anything comes up, we have the right to request further information because ultimately BAFTA is about recognizing human achievement."
The Hollywood Reporter also asked about Adrien Brody's BAFTA and Oscar-winning performance in The Brutalist, given reports that he used AI to help develop his Hungarian accent for the role. Baehr drew a clear line between that situation and the question of AI performers. "It's going to be a human that collects a BAFTA. We're never going to allow an AI actor [to win a BAFTA]. But we never really comment on what's happened in the past because the rules are the rules for that year, and every year it changes. So Adrien Brody was eligible; he won. We celebrated that win, and that was within that year in that rulebook. So, as we said, AI is moving so fast, but we have to go back to what we've already said about human creativity, and that is the essence of it. We want to celebrate that."
Baehr and Deirdre Hopkins, head of film at BAFTA, declined to comment on whether the Academy might one day introduce a craft category devoted entirely to AI-generated projects.
There is no specific percentage or exact threshold that would automatically disqualify an AI-assisted film, but Baehr said the updated language gives the film committee the ability to examine specific uses of AI ahead of longlist and nominations announcements.
Beyond AI, the rule changes include an expansion of the Outstanding British Film Longlist from 15 to 20 films. The category will retain 10 nominations, with five chosen by membership vote and five selected by a nominating jury. The category has existed since 1947. Last year, Chloé Zhao won the award for Hamnet. Previous winners include Edward Berger for Conclave, Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest, and Martin McDonagh for The Banshees of Inisherin.
BAFTA also renamed its Children's & Family Film category to simply the Family Film category. The organization said the new name better reflects the types of films eligible for consideration. The eligibility criteria and voting process remain unchanged.
