An Emmy statuette Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment The Television Academy says it will put some guardrails around the use of artificial intelligence in submissions for the Emmy Awards. As part of a number of rule changes for the 2026 Emmy Awards, the Academy is adding a statement about AI in its rules and procedures manual, which will be posted later in January. The statement reads, "The Television Academy reserves the right to inquire about the use of AI in submissions. The core of our recognition remains centered on human storytelling, regardless of the tools used to bring it to life." Related Stories Movies Producers Guild Awards Movie Nominations Include 'F1,' 'One Battle After Another,' 'Sentimental Value,' 'Sinners,' 'Weapons' Movies How This Became the Season of Hating on AI Among the other rule changes: The Emmys will drop the word "television" from the category previously known as outstanding television movie and make some changes to categories for short-form programs, sound mixing and music. The name change for outstanding movie, as the category will now be known, came about "to more accurately reflect the evolving landscape of cinematic content created for broadcast or streaming." The category includes big-budget films released directly to streamers as well as the more traditional definition of TV movie. (Netflix's Rebel Ridge won the award in 2025.) The short-form categories (nonfiction/reality and comedy/drama/variety) will now be tracked, the academy says, and recognize both original series and those based on or derived from other programming. The number of nominees will be proportional to submissions in each subcategory. In the music field, the academy is expanding the best main title theme music category to include "main-on-end" themes - music that plays after the final act and before the end credits start to roll. Additionally, the best original music score for nonfiction and documentary programming will expand to include reality shows as well. The Emmys have also split sound mixing for unscripted programming into two categories, nonfiction and reality. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up RuPaul's Drag Race How to Stream 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 18 Online international Radial Entertainment, BondIt Take 'Cheaters' Rights Worldwide (Exclusive) Live Feed Netflix's 'Black Mirror' Renewed for Season 8 With Creator Charlie Brooker "Activated and Whirring Away" on Ideas CBS News CBS News Taps Adriana Diaz and Kelly O'Grady as 'CBS Saturday Morning' Anchors Live Feed 'The Pitt' Team Explains "Friction" With New Doctor, Characters' Mindset at Top of Season 2: "The People They Want to Be Perceived as Being" Sex and the City Sarah Jessica Parker Reflects on 25 Years of Carrie Bradshaw as Helen Mirren Pays Tribute to the Actresses That Inspire Her at Golden Eve Ceremony RuPaul's Drag Race How to Stream 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 18 Online international Radial Entertainment, BondIt Take 'Cheaters' Rights Worldwide (Exclusive) Live Feed Netflix's 'Black Mirror' Renewed for Season 8 With Creator Charlie Brooker "Activated and Whirring Away" on Ideas CBS News CBS News Taps Adriana Diaz and Kelly O'Grady as 'CBS Saturday Morning' Anchors Live Feed 'The Pitt' Team Explains "Friction" With New Doctor, Characters' Mindset at Top of Season 2: "The People They Want to Be Perceived as Being" Sex and the City Sarah Jessica Parker Reflects on 25 Years of Carrie Bradshaw as Helen Mirren Pays Tribute to the Actresses That Inspire Her at Golden Eve Ceremony