Trusted Cultural AI Infrastructure: Film, Character & Rights is an Innovation Exchange challenge launched by Eros Innovation with support from Innovate UK Business Connect. The programme seeks UK innovators developing technologies that improve rights management, attribution, provenance, identity, consent and authenticity in AI-generated and AI-assisted cultural content. Selected applicants may access potential funding of £25,000–£50,000 per solution, participate in proof-of-concept projects and explore commercial partnerships.
Programme Overview
- Programme Name: Trusted Cultural AI Infrastructure: Film, Character & Rights
- Programme Type: Innovation Exchange Challenge
- Challenge Sponsor: Eros Innovation
- Delivery Partner: Innovate UK Business Connect
- Target Region: United Kingdom
- Target Stage: Stage Agnostic
- Target Sectors: AI & Data, Media & Entertainment, Legal & RegTech, Cybersecurity & Privacy
- Application Deadline: 13 November 2026, 18:00 GMT+1
- Potential Funding: £25,000–£50,000 per selected solution
- Pilot Duration: Approximately three months
Solutions Being Sought
The challenge focuses on two connected areas of trusted cultural AI infrastructure.
AI Attribution, Rights and Provenance
- Machine-readable rights and attribution systems.
- Automated licensing and intellectual property management.
- Provenance tracking across the content lifecycle.
- Technologies supporting authorised use of cultural assets.
- Interoperable solutions that integrate with existing creative workflows.
AI Authenticity, Identity and Consent
- Identity verification and consent management technologies.
- Likeness, voice and character-rights management.
- Authentication of original, modified and AI-generated content.
- Tools that protect cultural integrity and authenticity.
- Secure infrastructure supporting synthetic media governance.
Solutions should demonstrate technical feasibility, scalability and compatibility with existing systems across different assets, rights categories and territories.
Eligibility Criteria
The challenge welcomes UK-based innovators and applicants intending to establish a UK presence, including:
- Startups and SMEs.
- Established technology companies.
- Academic institutions and research organisations.
- Individual entrepreneurs and technology developers.
Technologies at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 6–8 are preferred, although earlier-stage research projects and commercially ready solutions may also be considered.
Applicants should demonstrate how their technologies address the challenge requirements and can be tested in practical creative-industry environments.
Selection Process
Applications will be evaluated based on:
- Innovation: Originality and effectiveness of the proposed technology.
- Technical Feasibility: Readiness for practical demonstration or deployment.
- Relevance: Alignment with rights, provenance, identity, consent or authenticity requirements.
- Scalability: Ability to operate across assets, platforms and markets.
- Interoperability: Compatibility with existing creative-industry systems.
- Commercial Potential: Opportunities for adoption, licensing and partnerships.
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to pitch their solutions to Eros Innovation and Innovate UK Business Connect. Selected technologies may progress to proof-of-concept testing.
Funding and Pilot Opportunities
Eros Innovation is seeking up to four solutions for potential pilot projects.
- Potential Support: £25,000–£50,000 per selected solution, subject to scope and approval.
- Pilot Duration: Approximately three months.
- Testing Environment: Defined Eros use cases involving controlled cultural assets, records and legal permissions.
- Commercial Pathways: Potential technology adoption, licensing, partnerships or investment.
Funding is not guaranteed and will depend on project selection, agreed scope and relevant approvals.
Benefits for Participants
Selected innovators may have opportunities to:
- Validate technologies through real-world cultural AI applications.
- Access Eros-controlled assets for defined testing activities.
- Receive potential financial support for proof-of-concept development.
- Demonstrate solutions to relevant industry stakeholders.
- Explore licensing, technology integration and commercial partnerships.
- Develop scalable applications for the creative and AI industries.
About Eros Innovation
Eros Innovation is a Super Intelligence, Sovereign Intelligence and Cultural Intelligence company headquartered in the Isle of Man, with operations across the United Kingdom, India, the United States and the Middle East.
Building on over four decades of Eros' experience in media and entertainment, the company develops AI models, digital infrastructure and applications for governments, enterprises, creators and consumers.
Its Large Cultural Model (LCM) family supports culturally grounded language, visuals, voice, music and narrative intelligence. The company reports a proprietary corpus of approximately 1.5 trillion rights-cleared cultural tokens and independent valuations totalling approximately US$3 billion for its cultural data assets and content library.
Eros Innovation also collaborates with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) on Cultural Intelligence research.
About Innovate UK Business Connect
Innovate UK Business Connect is a strategic delivery partner to Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). It connects businesses, researchers, investors and industry partners to accelerate innovation and commercialisation.
Through its Innovation Exchange programme, the organisation helps challenge sponsors identify and engage innovators capable of developing practical solutions to technological and industrial problems.
Application Process and Deadline
Applications close on 13 November 2026 at 18:00 GMT+1 (5:00 PM UK time).
Applicants should submit a proposal explaining their technology, technical readiness, relevance to the challenge, scalability and potential for practical testing.
Shortlisted applicants may be invited to pitch their solutions, with selected projects potentially advancing to proof-of-concept development.
Trusted Cultural AI Infrastructure: Film, Character & Rights offers UK innovators an opportunity to develop and validate technologies that support responsible AI use in the creative industries. Through Eros Innovation and Innovate UK Business Connect, selected applicants may access proof-of-concept opportunities, potential support of £25,000–£50,000 and pathways to commercial partnerships. Innovators developing relevant AI rights, provenance, identity and authenticity solutions are encouraged to apply before 13 November 2026.