The Hi! Paris consortium has won the AI Cluster call for projects. Led by the Institut Polytechnique and HEC Paris, it also includes the CNRS and Inria. It has been awarded €70 million to ”
establish one of the world’s leading centers for AI research, training, and innovation serving society in France ,” according to
the press release published this Wednesday.
Boosting research and training
The École nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and the University of Technology of Troyes complete the consortium. Created in 2020 , Hi! Paris was presented as an interdisciplinary center in data science and artificial intelligence (AI).
It has more than 250 researchers. Large companies support this structure, such as TotalEnergies, Vinci, L’Oréal and Capgemini.
Among its objectives is the creation of ” high-potential projects ” and start-ups. The millions of euros allocated to it will be used to build ” a network of about ten internationally renowned French academic centers in artificial intelligence .”
These infrastructures should then enable the attraction of foreign talent and the training of a large number of people in AI. Through this project, France also intends to contribute to the emergence of international champions.
The AI Cluster ” also aims to preserve and consolidate the position of French research in the main areas of AI. This project aims to deploy AI innovation in all key economic sectors ,” the press release explains.
Hi! Paris has listed several challenges to overcome. Supported by HEC and the Institut Polytechnique, the center aims to ” produce cutting-edge research ” and improve the competitiveness of French companies through training. But that’s not all.
He wants to increase the number of international programs to attract the best talent, create 100 unicorns by 2030, feminize the sector, and finally ” play an active role in the interactions ” between French and European AI clusters.
Wave of AI investments in May
The call for projects won by the consortium falls within the framework of France 2030 and the announcements made by Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, May 21. The President of the Republic announced €400 million to accelerate the training of AI talent through nine clusters.
The head of state has one particular objective in mind: to increase the number of people trained in this technology each year from 40,000 to 100,000. These waves of investment also come after the announcements made during the Choose France summit earlier this month.
For example, the IT giant IBM announced the creation of a research and development center in the Paris region. Accenture, the consulting firm, revealed the upcoming opening of two research centers dedicated to generative AI.
All of these investments align with the government’s objective of making France a global leader in AI. The €70 million AI Cluster funding should, in particular, enable Hi! Paris to achieve an even greater international presence.
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