In a strategic move reported by Bloomberg, French President Emmanuel Macron is positioning France at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) research and regulation. Macron recently convened a high-profile meeting with AI experts from tech giants Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google.
The private meeting, held at the Elysée Palace on June 8, 2023, and reported by anonymous sources, saw Macron engaging in discussions with key figures in the AI industry, including Yann LeCun, Chief AI Scientist at Meta, and Joëlle Barral, Engineering Director at Google Research. The attendees shared insights into France’s standing in the global AI race, the societal implications of AI, and the forthcoming European regulation known as the AI Act.
Interestingly this meeting came just one day after the UK government announced that it would host the first major global summit on AI safety. As Tech News Outlet reported, the summit, scheduled for this autumn, aims to bring together key countries, leading tech companies, and researchers to discuss and agree on safety measures to evaluate and monitor the most significant risks from AI. The initiative comes in response to recent warnings from leading experts about the potential for AI to endanger humanity in similar ways to pandemics or nuclear weapons.
AI could transform our lives for the better if used safely and securely.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) June 8, 2023
No one country can do this alone – it'll take a global effort.
But with our expertise and commitment to an open, democratic international system, the UK will stand together with our allies to lead the way.
While Macron’s office did not comment on the meeting, Bloomberg reports that the attendees understood the French President’s keen interest in playing a pivotal role in shaping AI regulation, not just in EU, but globally. This ambition aligns with the interests of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, potentially intensifying the rivalry between London and Paris as the leading hub for tech innovation and venture capital.
According to Bloomberg, Macron is set to unveil France’s strategic plan for generative AI at the upcoming VivaTech 2023 conference (June 14-17, 2023) in Paris. In addition to discussing France’s economic sovereignty, Macron will also meet with representatives from various industries, including pharmaceuticals and high-tech footwear, and address an event focused on reducing the carbon footprint of airplanes.
The VivaTech conference will also see the participation of Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk. Following a recent meeting with Macron, Musk expressed confidence in Tesla’s future investments in France, further bolstering the country’s position as a leading hub for electric vehicles.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by “Florian Wehde” via Unsplash
