The Court of Auditors has called on the Ministry of Culture to take more concrete steps in addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence (AI). While the Ministry has outlined 62 actions and appointed a project director for AI, the Court says these efforts are more like a map than a clear plan for steering the sector. The audit, conducted in November 2025 and published in September 2026, reviewed ten public institutions, including the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) and the Centre national du livre (CNL). At the time of the audit, the CNL had no specific budget or dedicated staff for AI, while the BnF had already committed several million euros to AI-related initiatives. The Ministry's action strategy for cultural and responsible AI, published in July 2025, is based on five main areas: responsible use of AI, fair economic models, innovation, preservation of cultural heritage, and improving public services. While the Court acknowledges the importance of addressing AI broadly, it criticizes the lack of a clear hierarchy, timeline, or defined budget. The CNL included AI in its 2025 roadmap and formed two internal groups, one focusing on staff practices and the other on impacts for professionals. These efforts led to a usage charter and a review of how AI practices align with copyright and the protection of literary creation. However, the CNL had no specific budget or assigned staff for AI at the time of the audit. In contrast, the BnF has made more progress in integrating AI, with 7.65 million euros allocated over three years, including 2.2 million from France 2030, a government initiative. The Court estimates 250,000 euros for the AI mission and 600,000 euros for the time spent by 75 category A staff on AI-related tasks. However, the BnF faces significant challenges in modernizing its information system, requiring 22 million euros over six years. This is not an AI budget but a necessary step to enable AI integration. The Court also notes that a group of experts brought together by the Ministry in 2023 produced Cultural Perspectives on AI, which included 22 specific recommendations. These were never made public and did not serve as a roadmap for the Ministry's services. The reasons for this are unclear, and a project director for AI, created at the end of 2025, lacks a team, budget, or authority over the digital service. Since the audit, the Ministry of Culture has taken some steps, including providing access to Assistant IA, a conversational AI tool developed by DINUM with Mistral AI, to all ministry staff. A new internal charter and practical guide have been distributed, and a working group meets nearly fifty operators each month. The Ministry also plans to create an observatory to study the impact of AI on jobs and value chains. The Court emphasizes the need for a prioritized, well-funded, and widely shared AI policy to prevent the public cultural sector from developing at different speeds, which could give better-equipped institutions an unfair advantage. The report includes 22 recommendations, but it remains unclear how many will be implemented.