What works in AI Adoption within DCMS Sectors

This tender closed on 23 October 2026.

Buyer
Department for Culture, Media & Sport
Value
£1,500,000
Closed
23 October 2026
Where
London
Type
Open tender

In plain English

The Department for Culture, Media & Sport wants research evidence on how businesses in media, arts, and creative sectors are adopting AI tools, what challenges they face, and which government policies actually work to support AI adoption. They're not looking for opinion or self-reported data, but real-world observation and controlled experiments with measurable results.

What the buyer wants

• Conduct ethnographic research (observation of real people and teams using AI in their work) within DCMS sector businesses to understand how they adopt AI, what problems arise, and what benefits they see • Design and run randomised control trials (RCTs) to test which policy interventions actually help businesses adopt AI successfully • Produce robust, evidence-based findings rather than surveys or interviews, with alternative methodologies welcome if they meet the same standard for quality evidence

Requirements

What could rule a small business out: This is a research consultancy contract requiring academic credibility, advanced research methods expertise, and ability to run controlled trials; most small trade businesses or single-person operations will lack the institutional capacity, staff size, and research credentials needed to bid successfully.

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