HOLLYWOOD — In a move that has left the entertainment industry scratching its collective head, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the introduction of a new award category for the 2026 Oscars: Best Performance by an AI Voice Assistant in a Supporting Role.
This bold new category, which the Academy claims is a reflection of the “technological advancements in acting” and “the growing influence of artificial intelligence,” will now reward voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant for their increasingly integral roles in modern cinema.
“AI is everywhere now, from the Oscars to your refrigerator,” said Academy President Janet Goldberg in a press release. “We’re just giving credit where credit’s due. Why should a perfectly timed ‘You can’t do that, Dave’ from a virtual assistant go unrecognized? It’s groundbreaking work.”
The category has sparked a range of reactions, from excited speculation about future nominees to confusion over whether the next “best supporting actor” speech will include a pre-recorded thank you from Siri.
“I mean, it’s honestly kind of genius,” said director Quentin Tarantino, a vocal proponent of artificial intelligence. “Think about how many of these voice assistants are getting paid to do absolutely nothing. They deserve an award. I think I’m gonna cast Alexa in my next film just to see how it goes. It could be the next big thing.”
Although the move has been hailed as “progressive” by some, others have questioned whether the Academy has truly crossed the line into gimmick territory.
“Look, I’m not saying it’s absurd, but do we really want to live in a world where the biggest award night is honoring a disembodied voice telling the main character to ‘turn left in 500 feet’?” said actor Natalie Portman. “Next thing you know, we’ll have an award for Best Use of a GPS App in a Feature Film.”
While Portman’s skepticism is shared by many in the industry, one group has been quick to voice their support: the voice assistant industry itself. Amazon, Apple, and Google have all issued statements congratulating the Academy on their “forward-thinking decision” and promising to expand their virtual assistant services to better cater to the needs of aspiring actors.
“We’ve been working hard to improve the emotional depth of Alexa’s ‘Good morning!’ and her delivery of ‘The weather today is sunny with a 20% chance of rain’,” said an Amazon spokesperson. “We’re really excited to see where this can go. Maybe Alexa will even get a script someday.”
Hollywood insiders are already speculating about who might take home the first Oscar in this category. Some believe that “Cortana,” Microsoft’s AI voice assistant, could make a strong run after its role in the hit film The Digital Legacy (2025), where it played the loyal sidekick to a rogue hacker. Others are rooting for Siri’s scene-stealing turn in Not Enough Battery, a film about a malfunctioning phone that ultimately saves the day.
“People don’t realize how much Siri has been carrying the narrative in recent films,” said AI scholar Dr. Vanessa Crawford. “In Not Enough Battery, Siri’s deadpan delivery of ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get that’ when the main character was running from a group of armed goons really added tension to the scene. It’s a subtle performance, but it’s also a bit of a game-changer.”
The most controversial aspect of the new category, however, is the eligibility rules. For a voice assistant to be considered for a nomination, it must have performed in at least three scenes of significant dialogue, with a speaking time exceeding two minutes. While this may sound straightforward, industry insiders are already concerned about the growing competition between voice assistant brands.
“Can’t we just have one award for the best virtual assistant in film?” wondered film critic Roger Ebert Jr., who has his own reservations about what this means for the future of acting. “It’s gonna be a mess. You could have Siri in one scene and then Alexa in the next, both trying to outshine each other with these snarky one-liners. It’s gonna get ugly.”
Despite the uncertainty, one thing is clear: the Academy is once again shaking up Hollywood’s status quo. The new category promises to add a layer of intrigue to an already unpredictable ceremony. Fans and critics alike are already eagerly awaiting who will be the first voice assistant to walk—or, more accurately, announce from a speaker—up to the stage to claim an Oscar.
“I’m just wondering if there will be an AI voice assistant spokesperson to accept the award on behalf of Siri,” said producer Judy Collings. “Maybe they’ll send Siri herself. I mean, it’s an obvious choice, right?”
As the Academy prepares for this historic shift, one thing remains certain: in the age of technology, even a disembodied voice can earn a seat at the table.
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