Marina Ferrari, Secretary of State for Digital Affairs – Introduction words at the Adopt AI Summit

I would like to extend my special thanks to Artefact and its founders Vincent Luciani, Guillaume de Roquemaurel, and Philippe Rollet. What better gift for their 10th anniversary than hosting this event that brings us together today around the crucial issue of AI dissemination? Indeed, our collective challenge now is to successfully integrate AI into our economy and society. The three themes structuring today’s event—vision, technology, and society—perfectly highlight the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence presents, which you encounter in all your activities.

“The revolution brought about by AI requires a collective vision accompanied by a strong conviction, that AI, particularly generative AI, opens the way to new progress for our fellow citizens, our businesses and our administrations.”

Marina Ferrari, Secretary of State for Digital Affairs

Firstly, the revolution brought about by AI requires a collective vision accompanied by a strong conviction: that AI, especially generative AI, paves the way for new advancements for our citizens, businesses, and administrations. I firmly believe that AI will have a positive impact on our lives across all sectors. For instance, in healthcare, to accelerate the discovery of new medications and develop personalized treatments; for ecological transition, by optimizing resource consumption, whether it’s fleet management or energy production; in computer programming as well, with models developed by startups like Poolside; and finally, within administration, where the implementation of new AI tools enhances the quality of our public services.

This vision is made possible by the rapid technological advancements in this field. French companies excel thanks to the talents emerging from our schools, universities, and laboratories. I am thinking, of course, of the achievements of Mistral AI, which rivals the most powerful models in the world, but I also think of all the companies and startups that provide state-of-the-art technologies to the rest of the French economy, such as Photoroom, LightOn, Poolside, Bioptimus, and many others.

Allow me to pause for a moment to highlight the AI research center launched by Artefact in collaboration with renowned institutions such as Polytechnique, Centrale Supélec, and the University of Paris-Saclay. By facilitating collaboration among thirty researchers with companies like Decathlon, Orange, and Société Générale, this center marks another milestone in the field of applied AI research.

Far from a techno-solutionist vision, widespread AI adoption will not happen without our citizens also being convinced of the benefits that technology will bring them. This is a matter of trust that we must establish. Obviously, we must protect against the misuse or harmful use of technology, but I believe that this trust will also be built through the very concrete demonstration in our daily lives of what AI can enable for each of us. For example, I think of accessibility issues, with AI potentially providing a new mode of access to the digital world. I also think of instant translation tools that further open us up to the world.

To all of you who are committed daily to this direction, I want to congratulate you on your work and tell you that you can count on my support, just as I actively count on yours.

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