Recognition
Grand Prix
Awards honor ideas first — craft, brand truth, and cultural impact — with AI as the medium, never the credit.
Grand Prix is selected by the jury from the strongest work across categories — not a separate public vote.
AIAF Awards Night — Finalist Screening · Awards Ceremony. Atlanta, Georgia · Venue to be announced.
The Culmination
AIAF Awards Night
November 21, 2026 · Atlanta, Georgia
The inaugural Atlanta AI Ad Fest will culminate in a live awards night in Atlanta, bringing finalists, creators, jury members, industry guests, and partners together for an evening of screenings and celebration.
Selected finalist works will be presented on the big screen, followed by the presentation of the inaugural AIAF Awards.
Finalist Screening · Awards Ceremony
Atlanta, Georgia · Venue to be announced
Award Categories
Best AI Commercial
The strongest overall commercial — idea, craft, and brand working as one film.
Best Creative Idea
The clearest, bravest idea — memorable even before production polish.
Best AI Cinematography
Distinctive camera language, light, and motion where AI expands cinematic control.
Best Storytelling
Narrative economy and emotional truth within 30–60 seconds.
Best Visual Craft
World-building, design systems, and finish that feel intentional — not generic generation.
Best Product Advertising
Product or offer made desirable without sacrificing idea or taste.
Brand Choice
Selected with the featured brand partner for strategic fit and cultural relevance — when a featured partner is announced.
Pending featured brand partner announcement for this edition.
Audience Choice
Highest combined likes and shares/reposts across X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Audience Choice — measurement rules
- Platforms counted: X, Instagram, and YouTube only.
- Score = likes/reactions + shares/reposts/reposts-with-comment (YouTube: likes + shares). Views alone do not count.
- Measurement window: from your public post date through AIAF Awards Night (November 21, 2026), festival time (US Eastern).
- Submit public post URLs at entry. AIAF may request screenshots for verification; manipulated metrics may be disqualified.
- Measurement disputes are resolved by the festival; the jury chair breaks ties. Platform manipulation may disqualify an entry.
Judging Criteria
Finalists and winners are scored across four weighted dimensions. Technical novelty alone does not win.
- Idea40%
Can it make us think?
- Craft30%
Is it exceptionally made?
- Brand20%
Does it make the brand matter?
- Impact10%
Does the world respond?
Impact recognizes a work’s ability to travel beyond the jury room — to reach, engage, and resonate with real audiences.
What lowers a score
- Tool-demo energy without a human idea or brand purpose.
- Generic AI aesthetics, incoherent edit, or unlicensed IP.
- Social metrics that appear manipulated for Audience Choice.