Europe, and France in particular, is setting its sights on Artificial Intelligence tech, CNBC reports. Macron and two of his top ministers appeared at France’s tech conference Viva Tech. In response to the global craze for AI, Macron pledged to make France the center of AI research and innovation in Europe.
“I think we are number one in AI in continental Europe, and we have to accelerate,” French President Emmanuel Macron told CNBC’s Karen Tso last week.
“We will invest like crazy on training and research,” Macron told CNBC, adding that France is well-positioned in AI due to its access to talent and start-ups forming around the technology.
With the exit of Britain from the EU, France has jostled to rise to a leadership position in Europe in a soft rivalry with Germany. With a smaller population and economy than Germany, France has been seeking to leverage its diplomatic and military advantages to make itself a cornerstone in Europe. AI being a relatively new field gives France an opportunity to pass Germany.
According to Anton Dahbura, Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy, France has tough competition in the AI field but can leverage its built in advantages in manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.
France is also leaning its strong regulatory expertise, seeking to curtail the dangers that AI could pose. The US in contrast, is able to generate more innovation but lags behind on capabilities and will to regulate new technologies and their unforeseen effects.
While seeking cooperation with other G7 nations, France wants to develop its own tech firms and AI capabilities to not wholly depend on American products and Big Tech firms. Europe and France also want to present a united front with America against China’s and Russia’s own AI tech. Europe’s ability to innovate, collaborate and present itself as a credible AI alternative to America is no easy task, but could present a blueprint for other projects such as European Defense.
