News9 AI² Awards 2026
The AI² Awards 2026 celebrates creators who use AI not as a shortcut, but as a co-creator. This initiative honors filmmakers, artists, designers, technologists and storytellers who are pushing the boundaries of narrative, form and visual expression through intelligent tools.
It is a global platform for new voices and bold experimentation — where imagination expands beyond traditional limitations. The festival brings together a creative community driven by innovation and cultural impact, recognizing work that blends human intent with machine intelligence to tell stories never told before.
Here, creativity evolves. Here, AI becomes the new canvas.
Creators submit their Short Films or Brand Films through the portal. Multiple entries are welcome, with only the most recent submission counted before the deadline.
A distinguished jury of filmmakers, creative leaders, and AI innovators will review all valid entries and shortlist standout films from each category.
Winners and Honorary mentions will be honoured and showcased at the News9 Global Summit in India, in the presence of industry leaders and media.
| Category | Description | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Films | Creative branded storytelling, product narratives, campaign messages or conceptual brand expressions. | Under 1 minute |
| Short Films | Fiction, non-fiction, documentary, experimental or narrative-led films using AI-assisted creative workflows. | More than 5 minutes |
Films may be in any language. Please include Hindi/English subtitles.
Sign up with your email to get started. Registered participants will receive important updates and access to all event information.
Students: ₹100 per registration (valid student ID required; verified by the TV9 team)
Others: ₹200 per registration
Fee is charged per registration, as entries may be edited after submission.
Choose your format — Short Film or Brand Film — and submit your project through the portal along with the list of tools used in different processes. Multiple entries are allowed, and you may revise or re-upload your submission until the final deadline.
After payment, you will receive a confirmation email with the upload link and submission guidelines. Only your latest uploaded version will be considered for evaluation.
Eligible submissions will move to Phase II for jury review and final selection.
Open to creators and AI enthusiasts worldwide to apply individually.
The film must demonstrate AI as a creative partner in at least 80% of the process — such as writing, storyboarding, visual design, animation, editing, sound, or other creative elements.
You may submit multiple entries, and you may revise your submission until the deadline. Only the latest upload will be evaluated.
Participants cannot share or publish their submitted work in any form before the official closure of the awards. Any violation may lead to disqualification.