Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor told Variety in Tokyo that the Oscars will keep honoring human-driven work as artificial intelligence spreads through filmmaking, and that the Academy will continue to refine international feature rules after introducing a festival-qualification route.

Taylor, Academy CEO Bill Kramer, chief membership, impact and industry officer Meredith Shea and Academy Museum director Amy Homma are in Japan for the Tokyo International Film Festival to meet members and filmmakers.

Taylor noted AI has been part of post-production for a decade and is embedded in visual effects, and the Academy discusses its impact on eligibility regularly. "What will always remain true for the Academy is that we award human excellence, human-driven workflow," she said. She added concerns about copyright, transparency and disclosure shape the Academy's thinking.

Under rules for the 99th Oscars, a non-English-language film can qualify for International Feature without a country's official submission by winning the top prize at one of six festivals: the Golden Bear at Berlin, the Busan Award for best film, the Palme d'Or at Cannes, the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the Platform Award at Toronto and the Golden Lion at Venice.

When asked if eligibility might expand beyond the top prize after Andrey Zvyagintsev's "Minotaur" missed the Palme d'Or but won the Grand Prix, Shea said the International Feature Executive Committee reviews the rules each year to align with industry standards and will consider improvements.

Shea pointed out that festival qualification is already used for the three short categories and documentary feature, and that the six festivals were chosen for their submission volume and global reach.

Kramer said the Academy has added rules to allow refugee filmmakers to be represented by a country where they seek asylum, and the new festival awards broaden the path for non-U.S., non-English films to compete for the International Feature Film Award.

Taylor explained that both the refugee rule and the festival route create multiple qualification paths for filmmakers in exile, rather than relying solely on a home-country selection.

Shea reminded that International Feature is one category; films may also enter documentary, animated, and Best Picture categories, and noted that last year's Oscars featured international representation in every category.

Kramer said the Tokyo visit is part of the Academy's globalization push, noting that non-U.S. membership now makes up 25% of the Academy and that travel to festivals helps engage members and filmmakers worldwide.

The Academy has visited Rio, Marrakesh, Morelia and Busan, and Kramer described his experience at the Tokyo International Film Festival as "incredible" and "very impressive."

Shea said festival partners give the Academy a foothold in each region, reaching members, prospective members and emerging filmmakers who attend local audiences.

Shea added that the International Feature category helps the Academy identify new members who have already proven excellence in their home markets, a strategy that has become "wildly successful" over the past five years.

Taylor highlighted that smaller film industries in South and Southeast Asia face high campaign costs, and the Academy is discussing ways to lower barriers for those communities.

Kramer cited the Academy Screening Room, a streaming service where every film is presented equally, and said voters must watch all nominees in a category before voting, helping level the playing field.

He added that members are curious and will seek out films once the Academy raises awareness.

Planning is under way for the 2029 ceremony, the first under a deal with YouTube, which aims to reach a global audience of 2.5 billion and offer viewing in over 30 languages.

Kramer said the non-U.S. audience is already roughly equal to the U.S. audience, and YouTube will help the Oscars engage fans directly worldwide.

When asked if the ceremony start time might shift for other regions, he said decisions are still being considered.

Kramer confirmed the Academy will continue traveling worldwide to meet members and filmmakers, noting a London office coordinates many non-U.S. initiatives and that the museum's screening series now travels to New York and London.

He said the Academy has more than 200 partnerships with writing labs, universities and film schools worldwide, and that this network will keep expanding.

Taylor said the Academy is "always evolving" with many items "on the table," and Shea mentioned increased international winners in the Student Academy Awards, Nicholl Fellowship and Gold Fellowship for Women.

Homma said the Academy Museum, opened in 2021 and hosting about 600 repertory screenings a year, is expanding its focus beyond North American film history to include more Asian and Asian-American stories.

She also stressed the urgency of film preservation in Asia, noting the museum's Present Past series showcases restoration premieres and calls for a united archival effort.

With the Academy's centennial approaching, Taylor said the milestone will prompt reflection on industry changes, while the Academy creates new content over the next 18 months.

Kramer concluded that international membership, programming, and collection representation will keep growing as the Academy moves in an "exciting global direction."p>