Emmanuel Macron pleads for “a moment of strategic awakening”; a partnership signed between France and the United Arab Emirates | EUROtoday

France and the United Arab Emirates have concluded a “strategic partnership” within the area of synthetic intelligence (AI), introduced the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire to Agence France-Presse, visiting the wealthy Gulf State, Tuesday May 21. The settlement, signed with the director of the Emirati sovereign fund Mubadala, Khaldoun Al Moubarak, opens “a new era of economic cooperation” between the 2 nations on this essential technological sector, which is booming significantly within the United States and China, he continued.

For the minister, “France has chosen to be the leading country in Europe in AI. And for that, we need partners”he declared, on the eve of the beginning of the VivaTech present (May 22 to 25) in Paris, the most important European occasion on new applied sciences. “Four new areas of cooperation will be opened and developed in the coming months”he defined, citing abilities and analysis growth, investments in knowledge facilities, the semiconductor trade and AI purposes.

The wealthy oil nation, which was the primary on the earth to have an AI minister in 2017, goals to turn into one of many world leaders on this area by 2031. In April, the American big Microsoft introduced a $1.5 billion funding in G42, an AI firm managed by Tahnoon bin Zayed, nationwide safety adviser and brother of the Emirati president.

Franco-Emirati relations have developed significantly lately, significantly on the protection facet. A brand new signal of the deepening of those relations, Bruno Le Maire stated on Tuesday that he had opened within the Emirates “the possibility of investing in the French civil nuclear industry”. “It is a sign of great trust between the two countries”he stated.

“A moment of strategic awakening”, in line with Emmanuel Macron

During the day of Tuesday, a brand new French synthetic intelligence start-up known as H was launched and raised 202.7 million euros from giant buyers together with Bernard Arnault, Xavier Niel (particular person shareholder of World) or Amazon, introduced Bpifrance, which additionally funds it. Several former Google DeepMind staff, the department of the American big specializing in AI, are among the many founders of H, positioned in Paris.

“The team of 25 artificial intelligence engineers and researchers is on a mission to introduce the power of generative AI into businesses around the world through a new generation of multimodal models specialized on action”described Bpifrance.

On Emmanuel Macron welcomed the ” good news “ what, in line with him, the launch of H represents: “Investors choose France to launch company H, bring together world-renowned scientists, and invest $220 million! » Earlier, he participated in a videoconference at the international summit on AI being held in Seoul, a summit of which France will organize the 2025 edition.

On Tuesday, the Head of State also spoke on the position of France and Europe in the sector, in front of several AI players at the Elysée. “Basically, the question posed to France, to Europe, is: are we deciding on the investments, the support policy that will allow us to fully return to international competition? »he asked himself. “This is a moment of strategic awakening that we are experiencing, which requires profound choices in terms of research, training and investment”he additionally declared.

From 40,000 to 100,000 individuals skilled in AI per 12 months, as a objective

The French president additionally made a number of bulletins together with the funding of an extra 400 million euros in giant coaching facilities on synthetic intelligence. The goal is to go from 40,000 individuals skilled per 12 months to 100,000, he defined. There ” battle “ of AI should be performed round “five major areas: talents, infrastructure, uses, investment and governance”declared the pinnacle of state.

Emmanuel Macron additionally unveiled the launch earlier than the tip of the 12 months of a brand new funding fund, subscribed to 1 / 4 by the State, as a way to assist the least properly financed and most technologically linked sectors. AI, digital chips and even the cloud. The nation may even host a brand new synthetic intelligence analysis heart, which can goal to turn into one of many largest facilities on the earth, added Mr. Macron.

To facilitate the adoption of this new expertise by the French, the president additionally entrusted a mission “acculturation of citizens” to the National Digital Council, which could have a price range of 10 million euros to prepare debates and cafés round synthetic intelligence throughout France.

Faced with American titans like Google, Microsoft and OpenAI (which created ChatGPT) and China, France goals to turn into an AI stronghold in Europe. Its essential nugget is Mistral AI, European chief within the sector. In mid-March, a specialised committee estimated that France wanted to speculate 5 billion euros per 12 months over 5 years in AI if it wished to be on par with the United States and China.

Furthermore, Microsoft introduced on May 12 that it might make investments 4 billion euros within the growth of information facilities in France to strengthen its infrastructure in synthetic intelligence (AI) and the cloud.