Microsoft is investing heavily in France, pouring €4 billion into artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technologies. The company aims to boost the adoption of these technologies by developing a new datacentre near Mulhouse and expanding its existing facilities in Paris and Marseille. This move aligns with France’s National Strategy for AI and the French Commission’s recommendations, which focus on positioning the country as a leader in AI development and implementation.
With plans to have 25,000 GPUs operational for AI workloads by the end of 2025, Microsoft’s expanded data capacity is set to energize various sectors across the French economy. Corine De Bilbao, president of Microsoft France, highlighted at a recent event that, if leveraged properly, AI could potentially double economic growth in France by 2030. She emphasized that AI not only facilitates faster innovation but also addresses talent shortages and redefines manufacturing processes. To support this vision, Microsoft plans to train one million people in France by 2027 and assist 2,500 startups during the same period.
The French Artificial Intelligence Commission advocates for training across multiple domains, including public discussions about AI’s societal impacts and integrating AI training into higher education. Microsoft is committing to these initiatives. They’ll train office workers to effectively use AI tools and understand data processing. Developers will also receive targeted training to ensure businesses can harness Microsoft’s latest technologies.
Microsoft is deeply embedded in the startup scene in France. For instance, it supports Station F, the world’s largest startup campus, which nurtures around 1,000 startups through various programs. Philippe Limantour, Microsoft France’s CTO, noted that their initiative, Microsoft GenAI Studio, specifically helps select startups with both technology and training.
Security in AI is a pressing issue, with Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft’s corporate vice-president of Security, pointing out the unique threats AI introduces, such as sensitive data leakage and prompt injection attacks. Jakkal assured that all datacentres would be fortified against these threats. Furthermore, innovations like Microsoft Security Copilot are designed to enhance cyber security by detecting incidents and tracing their origins.
In 2024 alone, Microsoft identified over 30 billion phishing emails targeting its customers, far exceeding what human teams can manage. The new phishing triage agents in Microsoft Security Copilot can alleviate some of this burden, allowing teams to focus on more complex threats.
Scientific research and engineering were central topics at the event. Antoine Petit, CEO of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), shared insights about a new initiative, AI for Science and Science for AI. This initiative underscores the importance of both advancing AI research and utilizing AI to assist scientific inquiries, despite the technology still being in its early stages.
Alain Bécoulet, deputy director-general of ITER, echoed this sentiment, arguing for freeing researchers from mundane tasks to foster their creativity. AI might be the key to delivering essential information to researchers, enhancing their roles significantly.
Ethics in AI usage also dominated discussions. Limantour emphasized Microsoft’s long-standing commitment to responsible AI. He argued that ethical use not only fulfills compliance needs but also maximizes the benefits from AI technology. “The future is bright for those trained to use AI safely,” he stated.