Hollywood Just Greenlit AI - Now What?
Freepik: Curt Doty
It’s official. The Television Academy just dropped the curtain on ambiguity and declared its position on Generative AI in filmmaking:
“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.”
Translation:
The robot didn’t get nominated — the human did.
This isn’t just a footnote in award season policy. It’s a creative inflection point. A line in the sand that says:
AI is not the auteur.
AI is not the enemy.
AI is now in the workflow — and that’s okay.
From Tool to Teammate
We’ve said it from day one:
AI is not the author. It’s the instrument.
The storyteller is still human.
Same way the camera didn’t kill the director.
Same way Avid didn’t cancel the editor.
AI isn’t creativity’s replacement — it’s creativity’s amplifier.
What the Academy just did is far more than issue guidance. It sent a message:
The industry isn’t resisting change. It’s choreographing it.
Innovation and integrity can co-exist.
Human authorship remains the north star.
We’ve officially entered the era of augmented imagination.
The Emmy Clause: What’s New for 2026
The Television Academy's 2026 Emmy rulebook now includes explicit AI language — and it's not just optics:
Human creative contribution must remain the “core” of any submission.
AI-assisted content is allowed, but the Academy reserves the right to investigate how the tools were used.
A new AI Task Force is educating members and guiding governance.
Academy leadership is even briefing lawmakers on responsible AI policy — advocating for creators, not just corporations.
TL;DR? The Emmys won’t reward AI itself. But they won’t punish you for using it either — as long as a human was steering the ship.
Oscars 2026: Following Suit?
The Oscars haven’t formally codified their AI stance yet — but the writing’s on the wall (or at least the teleprompter). AI was already in the credits of several 2024 and 2025 contenders:
The Brutalist used AI-enhanced voice tools to help actors nail complex Hungarian accents.
Here, directed by Robert Zemeckis, used AI to de-age Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in real-time across decades.
DreadClub: Vampire’s Verdict claimed the title of first fully AI-generated feature — with mixed reactions, but undeniable impact.
Expect Animated Shorts to be the first Oscar category where AI becomes normalized. Why? Because it’s already there. The production pipeline has quietly evolved, and AI is filling in the gaps — not replacing the storytellers, but accelerating their reach.
AI in the Call Sheet
This shift doesn’t mean every writer needs to learn prompt engineering. It means we all need to get literate. Because AI is moving from novelty to necessity:
Visual effects? AI’s already there.
Script polishes? Already happening.
Localization and dubbing? AI can do it in 30 languages by lunch.
As Andy Beach, former CTO of Microsoft Media, put it:
“We’re not even in full adoption mode yet. The real shift happens when AI integrates directly into workflows.”
That moment is… now.
The Era of Pro-Story
We’re not in a pro-AI or anti-AI era.
We’re in a pro-story era.
The Academy’s decision reinforces that:
It’s not about what tools you used.
It’s about what you made — and who was really behind it.
Hollywood just greenlit AI.
The future isn’t fully automated.
It’s fully augmented.
And that, my friends, is the best news the creative class has heard all year.
Sources:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/emmys-ai-guidelines-2026-awards-1236468434/
https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/awards/emmys-rule-changes-2026-tv-academy-ai/
https://www.televisionacademy.com/features/news/academy/chair-2024-03
About the Author
Curt Doty is a former studio executive and award-winning creative director with deep leadership experience across the entertainment and branding industries. Ten years in Television. Ten Years in Movies.
As the founder of CurtDoty.co, a creative consultancy, Curt has led integrated marketing, multi-channel storytelling, branding, identity, and user experience initiatives for a diverse roster of clients.
Over the past 15 years, Curt has leaned into innovation—leading R&D projects at Apple, Toshiba, and Microsoft, and pioneering interactive content.
Today, Curt’s work also explores the intersection of AI and entertainment. A sought-after fractional leader (CCO, CMO), speaker, and AI educator, he focuses on demystifying AI for creatives and executives alike.
Curt is a sought after public speaker having been featured at Mobile Growth Association, Mobile World Congress, App Growth Summit, Promax, CES, CTIA, NAB, NATPE, MMA Global, New Mexico Angels, PRSA, EntrepeneursRx, Digital Hollywood, SHRM, Streaming Media NYC, and Davos Worldwide. Download his speaker presskit here.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5505b92de4b07d153dd0bf27/t/693d91d143be063ad609fb4f/1765642705461/Curt+Doty+Presskit.pdf
He also hosts RealmIQ: Sessions, a podcast spotlighting thought leaders in tech, content, and design—continuing his role as a visionary voice in the future of creativity.
