Adapting to the evolving entertainment landscape, the TV Academy has made some changes to its 2026 Emmy categories. While introducing new guidelines for AI use, the Academy also introduced several categories to promote greater inclusivity.

TV Academy unveils rule changes for Emmys 2026, including new AI guidelines

The Television Academy recently announced a series of rule changes for the 78th Emmy Awards, scheduled for September 2026. These updates will affect multiple categories and introduce guidelines for AI use.

The Academy said that while AI tools may be used, the recognition will be centered on human storytelling. Furthermore, the organization will reserve the right to inquire about the use of AI during submissions.

One of the most notable changes is the renaming of the Outstanding Television Movie category to Outstanding Movie. The Academy cited that the update is to reflect the evolution of films, which are now created for both broadcast and streaming platforms.

Short Form Program categories have also undergone significant changes. Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series and Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama, or Variety Series will now function as tracked categories. Both of these categories will recognize original series and series inspired by existing programming.

In the Sound categories, the Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program has been split into two awards. This is done to distinguish between nonfiction and reality programming. And the Documentary/Nonfiction or Reality Program category will now consider reality programs for Outstanding Music Composition if they use original dramatic scores. Additionally, Outstanding Main Title Theme Music now includes eligibility for scores that are played at the beginning of the episode and before the credits roll.

The Academy also expanded eligibility across multiple peer groups. New titles include:

• Associate Casting Director for scripted series
• Key Costumer for costume categories
• Director of Photography in the Technical Direction and Camerawork categories
• Line Producer across all reality programming categories.

Previously announced changes for 2026 include the introduction of the Legacy Award. The award will recognize programs that have sustained their relevance and continue to impact society. The Academy also introduced a list of streamlined casting titles eligible for the award.