It’s a small group that could change the destiny of France. Made up of 15 experts, the committee on generative AI released a highly anticipated report on March 13 on what Paris must put in place to become a world leader in artificial intelligence. A roadmap that the committee, co-chaired by the economist Philippe Aghion and the president of the board of directors of the ENS Anne Bouverot, carefully considered before handing it over to Emmanuel Macron: 600 experts were interviewed and 7,000 citizens were surveyed via a consultation. Financing start-ups, infrastructure…. All the projects that France must carry out to win the great AI race are carefully analyzed. If we had to pick just one, it would be training.
This is Paris’ primary asset in this area: the excellence of its sectors (Polytechnique, MVA master’s degree from Saclay, etc.) in mathematics and engineering. This explains the strong presence of French people in the AI centers of digital giants and the growth of French artificial intelligence companies. France has more than 600 AI start-ups, including 141 already in generative AI, points out the latest radar from Wavestone. “And among them, several are specialized in foundation models, the cornerstone of this market,” underlines Chadi Hantouche, partner of the firm. In particular, Mistral AI which is now hot on the heels of champion OpenAI. For Laura Connell, partner of the European fund Atomico, there is no doubt: “France is one of the world leaders in AI”.
To stay ahead, however, the country must significantly increase its number of graduates specializing in AI. In 2021, these sectors had around 16,687 places. For the committee, we must at least multiply this figure by three over the coming decade. An ambitious target which requires opening new places, but also encouraging more students to enter these sectors. Once these AI brains are trained, France must also work to retain them, by consequently increasing the salaries of researchers in this field. These well-made heads are frequently offered salaries three to ten times higher in the United States. And the number of countries looking out for them will continue to increase. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates… The Gulf countries are embarking on the race for AI with a lot of petrodollars. However, although they have the financial means to achieve their ambitions, they currently have a severe lack of experts in generative AI.
The backbone of AI
Let’s also keep in mind that the world of AI doesn’t just revolve around large language models. Data center and AI chips are the backbone of this new world. Having experts in these infrastructures is crucial if we want to have a seat at the big table in AI, where Nvidia shines. France, like the rest of Europe, is lagging behind here. But the game is not lost. “Small start-ups are making astonishing breakthroughs in the field of chips,” underlines Bernard Liautaud, director of the Balderton Capital investment fund.
For the magic to work, it is essential that the entire French population knows how to use these new tools. Law, health, commerce, graphics… All sectors will be transformed by generative AI. The committee therefore recommends generalizing the deployment of AI in all higher education courses and acculturating students from secondary school.
“In France, there is a surprising divide: on one side a small portion of people who are very good at math, and on the other side a large number of people who think it is beyond their reach. United, you won’t hear a 20-year-old telling you ‘maths is not for me’. It would be good if a large number of post-baccalaureate courses included compulsory courses in computer science and AI. This would help many students to realize that they are not as bad as they think, or even that they like these subjects,” confides in a major interview with L’Express, the French research director in AI by Google DeepMind Joëlle Barral.
400 billion euros in French GDP
It is also urgent to train workers in these new tools. “Studies indicate that AI will allow less qualified workers to improve their skills rather than replacing jobs,” underlines Marina Ferrari, Secretary of State for Digital. The risk for the French is not to be replaced by AI, but to see tomorrow foreign companies stealing market share from them by using this technology more cleverly.
“In all sectors, companies will see their title put at stake. AI will allow companies to be more efficient and build richer offers,” points out Vincent Luciani, CEO of the AI consultancy Artefact. It is important to help French companies lead this transition. “In particular, mid-sized companies,” points out the expert. If Paris succeeds, the opportunities are exciting. Economist Philippe Aghion reveals in the report on generative AI that in ten years, it could increase France’s GDP by 250 to 420 billion euros.
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