Call on AI Integration in Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries

The key focus areas, objectives, priorities, and themes of this opportunity include enabling full integration of AI technologies into CCSI work practices through the development of strategies, tools, guidelines, and methodologies that support creators, cultural professionals, and policymakers. The programme emphasizes improving AI readiness across cultural and creative sectors, identifying barriers to AI adoption, and leveraging quality data, federated data systems, and digital infrastructures to support inclusive and efficient workflows. It also focuses on developing ethically designed AI solutions that enhance creative expression, improve accessibility for persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, and support new business models that preserve cultural diversity while increasing sectoral competitiveness. Additionally, the call highlights the importance of scalable, affordable tools and training resources that enable widespread adoption of AI across both well-resourced and smaller cultural actors.

The scope of the programme reflects the transformative impact of AI on cultural and creative practices, including content creation, production, audience engagement, cultural heritage preservation, personalization of cultural experiences, and business innovation. It recognizes the potential of AI to automate low-value tasks, enabling creators to focus on high-value creative work, reduce production costs, expand market reach, and unlock new employment opportunities and revenue streams. At the same time, it stresses the need for ethical, transparent, and inclusive AI systems that safeguard cultural identity and social inclusion.

Proposals under this call must contribute to developing insights, recommendations, and tools that enable full AI integration in CCSI, as well as co-created scenarios and pilots that demonstrate AI-enabled solutions tailored to sectoral needs. Projects are expected to assess AI readiness across sectors, identify gaps in data, infrastructure, skills, and governance, and translate these findings into practical, scalable solutions that support adoption. They should also ensure continuous engagement with CCSI stakeholders and produce actionable guidance and training materials to support implementation.

Applicants must choose between two implementation options. The first option focuses on developing scalable pilots for AI-enabled products and services across CCSI value chains, addressing operational gaps and enhancing innovation and competitiveness. The second option focuses on designing and piloting inclusive and ethically driven AI solutions that promote cultural and linguistic diversity and improve accessibility, particularly for vulnerable groups including youth, older people, and persons with disabilities. Both options may also include financial support to third parties to involve external actors in pilot development.

Consortia must include representatives from cultural and creative sectors as well as technology developers to ensure meaningful collaboration between artistic and technical domains. The programme encourages solutions that are scalable, sustainable, and capable of generating new revenue streams and business models for the sector.

The total funding allocation for this call is €15 million, with individual projects typically receiving between €4 million and €5 million under the Horizon Europe framework.

Eligible applicants include any legal entity, regardless of country of establishment, including organisations from non-associated third countries and international organisations, subject to Horizon Europe rules. Applicants must register in the Participant Register and obtain a Participant Identification Code (PIC) prior to grant agreement preparation.

For more information, visit EC.