VivaTech 2023: AI and Digital Sovereignty at the Heart of the Discussions

VivaTech 2023: Launch Under the Sign of AI and Digital Sovereignty

The VivaTech fair opened its doors on Wednesday, June 17, at the Porte de Versailles in Paris, marking the start of a major event for the European tech sector. This year, the fair expects around 180,000 participants, including prominent figures such as Jeff Bezos and Emmanuel Macron. The central theme of this tenth edition is artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications, with a particular focus on Europe's technological dependencies.

A Tense International Context

The issue of securing AI is also at the heart of discussions during the G7 summit taking place in Evian, attended by U.S. President Donald Trump and leaders from the global tech sector. Recently, the Trump administration ordered the American AI startup, Anthropic, to restrict access to its most advanced models, Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, for any foreign nationals, citing national security concerns. This decision has raised awareness in France regarding the country's vulnerability and has strengthened Europe's resolve to consolidate its technological sovereignty.

Franco-German Initiatives for Digital Sovereignty

Following the opening of the fair, France and Germany issued a joint statement affirming their shared vision to strengthen Europe's digital sovereignty. The two nations announced the revival of the Franco-German Forum for the Future, with the primary goal of developing a common catalog of sovereign digital solutions.

Lescure and the Technological Sovereignty Strategy

VivaTech, as the largest European event in the sector, attracts a multitude of influential figures from tech. Among them is French AI researcher Yann LeCun, founder of the new company AMI Labs, and the leader of Dutch giant ASML. The Minister of Economy, Roland Lescure, is also present to meet with French companies, including the startup ChapsVision. As part of the effort to reduce European dependency, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that the DGSI, the French intelligence services, would cease using the services of American company Palantir in favor of ChapsVision. This decision is part of a broader strategy for technological sovereignty.

Reactions and Future Investments

Palantir responded by stating that its contract with the DGSI, renewed in December for three years, is still in effect. However, the timeline for the transition has not been specified by the executive. Sébastien Lecornu also announced an additional investment of 655 million euros as part of the France 2030 program to support AI development.

A Crossroads of Innovations and Meetings

Politically, Emmanuel Macron is expected on Thursday, accompanied by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The fair is a true crossroads where founders, investors, industry representatives, and international delegations converge. Jean-Christophe Liaubet, a partner at EY, anticipates announcements of partnerships and possibly fundraising efforts.

For this tenth edition, VivaTech is expanding from 50,000 to 70,000 square meters and hopes to surpass last year's attendance record. After an exhibition on the Champs-Élysées, a first for the fair, VivaTech will feature robot demonstrations on stage on Wednesday. Humanoid robots from Chinese companies Unitree and Agibot promise to impress the audience with their movement capabilities, while European startups like Genesis, Botiful, and Pal Robotics will showcase their latest innovations.