.jpg)
France’s AI strategy aims to establish the country as a key player in AI expertise and research, while becoming the premier hub for AI innovation in Europe. Here are its six key points:
National AI Program led by Inria: A comprehensive national program led by the renowned research institution Inria to promote the growth and acceleration of the French AI ecosystem.
Attract and support talent: This includes plans to create 40 full-time professorships in AI to bolster the country’s AI talent pool, starting in 2019. There are also plans to double the number of PhD candidates trained in AI to ensure a skilled workforce in the future.
Promoting AI research through ANR: The French government plans to allocate €1.5 billion for AI development by the end of 2022, of which €700 million will be earmarked for research.
Strengthening computing resources: The French government and the European Commission will invest more than €170 million in dedicated AI computing resources by 2022, including the installation of one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers in early 2019.
Strengthening collaborative research: France plans to invest €62 million in collaborative research projects by 2022. This includes additional funding for the Labcom programme, the Carnot Institute and the Institute of Technology (IRT).
Strengthening international cooperation: France and Germany work together to develop a shared European strategy for artificial intelligence. This partnership has been particularly effective in artificial intelligence research.
France's AI strategy reflects its commitment to promoting research, developing talent and building strong international alliances.
Main Participants
The French government, under President Emmanuel Macron, has been a major driver of AI development in the country. After launching a $1.8 billion AI plan in 2018, the government announced a $2.35 billion "France 2030 Investment Plan."
This is a public-private partnership fund aimed at cultivating and developing local AI talent. In June 2023, France announced the establishment of a $535 million fund to create AI "champions", expressing its interest in becoming an innovator in the field and competing with large technology companies such as Google.
However, private investment remains cautious. According to the Stanford AI Index report, France's private AI investment in 2022 is $1.77 billion, which is much lower than the UK's $4.37 billion and EU peers such as Germany ($2.35 billion).
This can be attributed to an overly bureaucratic government and an unfriendly business environment. However, there are still some bright spots.
The country now has more than 500 startups, up from 180 in 2016, with Mistral AI, Levia and Cardiologs emerging as notable success stories.
In 2022, France was also the only EU country to see an increase in private investment in AI compared to the previous year.
Comentarios