On the occasion of VIVATECH, the French AI program evolution are defined

The French AI development support program has been so far mostly oriented to foster research. Among others, new vendors have popped up, and the supercomputer Jean Zay is now up and running for the best benefit of developers. The second step that opens now will focus on training and education, with 9 clusters to gather researchers and education facilities, and on developing usages by companies, with a focus on helping SMEs adopting AI.

The managers of the program insist on not putting all resources on subsidies, but on trying reallocating public and private orders towards local vendors, and on supplying equity funding.

Among other clusters, that led by Ecole Polytechnique with several partners including engineers and business schools, as well as public Research centers..

New start up on AI in France : H.

H has been launched by a team of ex-Google managers. The first round of funding, at 220 M$, has been followed by a bunch of investors including Xavier Niel, ELAIA, Bernard Arnault, EURAZEO, BPI France, Galeries Lafayette via its Corporate venture vehicle or  DST Global.