A note from Jesse Feister, Executive Director of The Webby Awards

For thirty years, new technology has reshaped how we make and experience creative work online. With each wave there has been excitement and confusion. That recurring tension is one of the reasons the Webbys exist, and why we remain as relevant today as when we began. Our role is to set a clear standard of excellence, celebrate the work that meets it, and help the community move forward.

We’ve spent the past months listening to technologists, creatives, artists, executives, and policy thinkers from across our global community who are adapting in real time as new AI innovations come to market faster than ever before. We are excited about the possibilities of AI and we will approach them with care and with the benefit of three decades of watching technology mature and the creative community adapt and innovate.

The Webby Awards believes that trust and credibility are essential to the foundation of creative excellence in this new era. We welcome AI use while emphasizing what sustains audience trust in each context. Trust is the currency of innovation, the basis of product-market fit and of creative work that matters. The right approach will vary by project, since each has its own audience and context. The best choices depend on that relationship and what each audience values.

This season, our guiding line is straightforward: when AI is used, it should enhance the experience, solve real problems, and be applied with integrity.

Our Approach to Evaluating Work

At the Webbys, excellence has always been judged by the end output and outcomes, the direct experience of the audience. We look at whether the work is innovative, useful, well made, and if it resonates with its intended audience. That remains the standard for every entry, with or without AI.

If context about AI use helps judges understand the ambition, innovative nature, or decisions behind the work, you are welcome to include it in a case film or supplemental materials. It is optional.

How Judges Can Think About AI in the Work

When AI use is apparent, we recommend judges consider its impact on the judging criteria for that category, with specific emphasis on:

• Craft and quality. Do outputs meet professional standards of design, storytelling, and technical execution.
• Credibility and trust. Does the work maintain audience trust and accuracy?
• Creative augmentation. Does AI meaningfully support or extend the creator’s (or team’s) vision and capability.
• Strategic purpose. Is AI solving a real creative, product, or audience problem, rather than used for novelty alone.
• Ethical use. Are data and deployment handled responsibly, with respect for people and context.

These pillars can guide a judge’s thinking about AI across Advertising, Media and PR, Apps, Games, Podcasts, Social, Video and Film, and Creator work. Read the full criteria by category here.

New Dedicated AI Categories 

While AI will likely be prevalent across the whole suite of Webby 30 categories, our new AI media type aims to recognize projects or features where AI is the central focus and core driver of innovation. In these, jurors will look closely at innovation, technical execution, user experience, responsibility, and overall impact. See the full list of AI categories here

On Misrepresenting Reality and Misleading Audiences

We reserve the right to review and disqualify submissions that undermine trust or misrepresent reality, regardless of the technology used to do so. That includes misleading audiences about people, source material, information, or results.

Why This Approach?

• AI is increasingly ubiquitous. Because AI is embedded into a wide range of creative tools, workflow platforms, and beyond, we lean on core principles that hold as the technology advances.
• Output and outcomes matter most. We evaluate the work in the world, based on judges’ direct experience as a user, listener, viewer or audience member.
• Trust is universal. Credibility is the foundation of lasting creative impact. We reward work that earns and keeps it.
• Webby history shows us the way. New tools are often controversial at first. Clear standards for craft and integrity help communities establish the norms that endure.

We will continue to listen to creators, technologists, and audiences, and we will refine as the landscape changes. If you have questions or feedback, please reach out at info@webbyawards.com.

Thank you for the work you are making and the standards you help set. We couldn’t be more proud to champion this community at such a pivotal moment.

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Entries Are Now Open For The 30th Annual Webby Awards!

Secure best pricing and enter by the Early Entry Deadline on Friday, October 24th. Discover the industry titans judging work this year and the impact of a Webby Win on your business.