Enabling factors for AI policy-making in the film and AV sectors: The case of small European markets

This article builds on research conducted under the European Union Horizon project CresCine, a three-year initiative aimed at enhancing the international competitiveness and cultural diversity of small European film markets. Departing from the analysis of the current policy landscape for film and audio-visual (AV) in Europe, we show its disjointedness from artificial intelligence (AI) challenges impacting this industry. This regulatory gap needs to be addressed through sector-specific innovation. Our research offers data-driven insights into market trends and challenges on both the offer (producers) and the demand (audience) side. We present first-hand accounts of AI’s disruptive effects on creative professional practices, established film and AV national and EU-level policies and expectations regarding AI-driven policy interventions, particularly in small European markets. We discuss the interplay between existing regulatory frameworks, particularly the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), and the future of AI policy-making in these sectors, as well as how AI-driven regulation and innovation might impact small European countries’ AV industries. This article contributes to AI policy debates in the film and AV sector by discussing tools and strategies to foster inclusive growth and suggesting future avenues for AI policy frameworks that are fair, responsive to market realities and beneficial to small and peripheral European film and AV industries.