Sanremo 2027: De Martino Announces Online Vote, Foreign Jury, AI Ban

Meta description: Stefano De Martino unveils Sanremo regulations (Feb 16–20), confirms 24 participants, online voting, an international jury, and a ban on AI.

Stefano De Martino presented in Milan, on Tuesday, the regulations for the 2027 edition of the Festival of Sanremo, which will be held at the Teatro Ariston from February 16 to 20. It is De Martino's debut as the host and artistic director, and the organization confirmed 24 participants, online voting, the presence of an international jury, and the prohibition of the use of artificial intelligence. According to ANSA, the rules were announced at the presentation event.

Presentation and schedule — Sanremo 2027, Teatro Ariston and Stefano De Martino's debut

Stefano De Martino detailed the official schedule of the festival: five nights from February 16 to 20, 2027 at the traditional Teatro Ariston in Sanremo. The Milan press conference marked the first time De Martino assumes simultaneously the roles of artistic director and host, a function that carries expectations in the Italian press. According to ANSA, the regulation's disclosure was public and aimed to anticipate format changes and rules for the competition.

Format and competition rules — 24 artists, online voting and international jury

The edition will feature 24 artists: 23 selected by the artistic direction plus the winner of the emerging competition "Sarà Sanremo." The organizers stated that the number of participants will not increase, with the rationale of ensuring space and adequate time for each performance, per ANSA's report.

Among the main innovations confirmed is the online voting by the audience for the Festival, which complements the traditional assessment methods. An international jury was also announced, which will be part of the tally in at least some phases of the contest. The combination of digital voting and an international jury was presented as an attempt to modernize the format and broaden the festival's reach beyond Italy.

Positions and specific decisions — AI ban and focus on music

A clear regulation decision is the prohibition of artificial intelligence in compositions and performances for this edition. De Martino stated that the measure aims to preserve the authenticity of the works presented and keep the focus on human creativity; ANSA recorded his remarks during the presentation. The ban covers, according to the organizers, both the use of AI in compositions and in performative elements that substitute or substantially alter the artists' performances.

De Martino also said that, for now, the team is focused on music: no co-hosts or the final list of special guests have been announced yet. The approach, he noted, is to prioritize the musical lineup and the quality of the performances before finalizing other names for the stage.

Possible guest and additional programming — Måneskin and the 'serata Performance'

Regarding high-profile attractions, De Martino said he is working toward a possible reunion of the group Måneskin and that he would be very happy to have the band at Sanremo 2027, according to ANSA. There was no formal confirmation; the statement was presented as the artistic direction's intention.

Another programming update is the confirmation of a "serata Performance" on the festival's Friday, dedicated to performances with interpretive and scenic emphasis. The measure aims to differentiate the nights and offer varied evaluation formats, combining popular vote, technical jury, and the new international jury at different moments of the competition.

Repercussions and context

The introduction of online voting and the international jury signals a move toward internationalization of the festival, which historically balances tradition and innovation. The AI ban places Sanremo 2027 among cultural events that currently opt to limit technologies that could compromise human authorship in the arts. Italian media outlets and cultural observers followed the decisions closely, noting that changes to the regulation often impact both repertoire selection and the artists' presentation strategy.

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Conclusion: Stefano De Martino presented a regulation that blends the Ariston stage's tradition with technological innovations in voting and the makeup of the jury, while maintaining clear boundaries such as the AI ban. The organization prioritized the quality of each performance by confirming 24 participants and awaits decisions about guests and co-hosts in the coming weeks.

Source: ANSA