In a Higgsfield AI interview, Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull offered a forecast about AI-assisted films and awards. His opinion is not an Academy ruling or a blanket ban.
What did Catmull say?
The interviewer asked whether an AI-assisted film could win best animated feature by 2030. Catmull answered through examples of visual effects and live-action films, saying that in the live-action context he thought it highly unlikely by 2030. He pointed to film development cycles and the time needed to adapt technology. His answer should not be turned into a definitive judgment on every animated film.
What do the rules say now?
The Academy’s announcement for the 99th Oscars says screenplays in the writing categories must be human-authored. It also reserves the right to seek further information about the nature of AI use and human authorship. Those rules concern the 2026 eligibility cycle; they do not decide the result in 2030.
Catmull also describes intellectual-property issues and workers’ concerns as legitimate. Keeping his prediction separate from current rules makes it easier to see what is opinion and what the Academy has actually announced.
