In an era of massive artificial intelligence deployment, the traceability of AI models has become a critical issue for sovereignty and intellectual property. The IZENA project (formerly TatouAI), developed within the SAMOVAR laboratory and the ARTEMIS department of Télécom SudParis, offers an innovative solution by applying digital watermarking techniques to neural networks. Led by Carl De Sousa Trias, this project was honored with the Grand Prix i-PhD 2026, highlighting its scientific and technological significance.
The lack of traceability in AI models poses significant risks of theft, falsification, and non-compliance. To address these challenges, IZENA has developed a patented technology that applies watermarking to neural networks, creating a unique digital passport for each model. This distinction, awarded in the category Innovations for new societal challenges (France 2030 / Bpifrance), paves the way for the creation of a start-up aimed at deployment in strategic sectors such as defense, health, and aeronautics.
The technology developed by Carl De Sousa Trias, under the co-direction of Mihai Mitrea (Télécom SudParis) and researchers Marco Cagnazzo and Attilio Fiandrotti (Télécom Paris), aims to provide robust tracing tools for artificial intelligence, similar to those already mastered for image or audio content. By integrating an identification mark into the core of the algorithms, the technology addresses three priority needs: authentication and intellectual property protection, auditing and quantifying alterations to prevent attacks, and regulatory compliance in sensitive sectors.
The applied research approach of Télécom SudParis, focused on solving concrete technological challenges, led to the protection of the work through a patent (C. De Sousa Trias, M. Mitrea, E. Tartaglione, S. Chaudhuri, "Method for protecting an artificial neural network by tracing", French patent request FR2505074, May 2025). François Dellacherie, Director of Télécom SudParis, emphasized the school's ability to transform breakthrough research into concrete entrepreneurial projects, particularly through programs like the High-Tech Imaging (HTI) Advanced Track.
The project benefited from tailored support through the Newton program of the Institut Polytechnique de Paris and the IMT Starter incubator. The recognition from the Grand Prix i-PhD 2026, operated by Bpifrance as part of France 2030, validates this synergy between research, intellectual property, and commercial development. The future start-up, named IZENA (meaning 'identity' in Basque), is now focusing on developing a Proof of Concept (PoC) and a MVP for the defense, health, and aeronautics sectors.
