World leaders and tech giants will gather in Paris on Feb. 10-11 for the AI Action Summit, co-hosted by France and India. The focus: harnessing AI’s potential while addressing sovereignty, labor disruption, and energy needs.
France, eager to promote its AI industry, is emphasizing open-source models and clean energy for data centers. Top executives from Microsoft, Alphabet, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman will attend, with government leaders dining with select CEOs.
Uncertainty lingers over U.S. cooperation. President Trump’s AI stance includes revoking Biden’s 2023 executive order and reconsidering AI chip export controls. Vice President JD Vance will represent the U.S., while negotiations continue on a non-binding global AI stewardship communiqué.
Unlike past summits in Bletchley Park and Seoul, Paris will not push for new regulations. France, wary of stifling innovation, seeks flexible EU AI Act implementation. The summit will spotlight distributing AI benefits to developing nations via affordable models from France’s Mistral and China’s DeepSeek.
One expected outcome: a $500 million initial commitment—scaling to $2.5 billion over five years—for AI projects in the public interest. Another focus is AI’s rising energy demands. France, a major nuclear power producer, aims to align AI growth with climate goals.
“We’re showing AI is here and key to competitiveness,” an Élysée official said, hinting at upcoming announcements on France’s energy advantage.
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