French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a €109 billion investment plan to bolster artificial intelligence (AI) development in France, aiming to enhance Europe's position in the global AI industry currently dominated by the US and China. This announcement was made during the AI Action Summit in Paris, which featured world leaders and industry executives.

The investment focuses on building AI infrastructure, such as computing clusters and data centers. Macron emphasized the need for Europe to accelerate its AI investments to compete globally. Additionally, a non-profit investment fund called Current AI was established to support public interest AI initiatives. Over 60 European companies, including Volkswagen and Spotify, support the initiative, which aims to simplify EU AI and data laws. The goal is for Europe to develop its own AI platforms to avoid reliance on US and Chinese technology, with Macron advocating for "open" and shared AI platforms.

Macron also highlighted France's advantage in having access to a significant amount of decarbonized energy, crucial for powering data centers essential for AI development. He committed to simplifying bureaucratic procedures to expedite AI projects, drawing inspiration from the rapid reconstruction of Notre Dame.

In a creative move to promote the summit, Macron released a series of deepfake videos featuring his face superimposed on various celebrities, aiming to underscore the importance of AI for the future of France and Europe.

These initiatives reflect France's ambition to become a leader in AI within Europe, focusing on infrastructure development, regulatory simplification, and the promotion of open AI platforms.