India, France working together on Artificial Intelligence: French envoy

France’s Permanent Representative to OECD, Amelie de Montchalin, said that India and France are working together as the two nations share the same vision on what artificial intelligence (AI) can bring as a tool for more development, innovation and prosperity.

Speaking to ANI, Amelie de Montchalin noted that France and India have digital public infrastructure in common.

On being asked about India and France’s role in AI, Montchalin said, “So, India and France are really working together because we have the same vision of what AI can bring as a tool for more development, as a tool for innovation, as a tool for prosperity. But, we also have the same values.”

“We want to keep our sovereign autonomy to make sure that we are having the control of our technologies. We have the same vision of cyber. So, the fact that we work together is also the sign that we want to make sure that AI is at the service of all people, all across the planet, so without division between what we call the north and the south,” she added.

Asked whether there is any discussion between two nations in terms of AI, Amelie de Montchalin said, “So as you know, France and India, we have something in common, which are digital public infrastructure. I was in charge of civil service reform and I was in charge of the digital public services in France. And they are very close and very similar in their thinking from what you do here in India with your very successful digital public infrastructure. So we will continue to work together on this.”

“We are also discussing as part of the global partnership on AI, how to be AI for good, open AI solutions to face climate change, agriculture, smart cities, water resources, and make sure that these algorithms are free, open, not just for India and France, but also to other developing and emerging countries, and this is something I know in India wants to do even more and that France will support and we will do together,” she added.

She lauded India for organising the ‘Global IndiaAI Summit’ and called it a “major success.” She stated that the conference in Delhi is a follow-up to the G20 Summit in Delhi held in 2023. French envoy also talked about the AI Action Summit set to be held in February 2025 and added that India will be invited to the Summit.

Speaking about India’s role in the propagation of AI, Montchalin said, “So I think it’s a major success to have this Delhi conference today, this ministerial meeting of the Global Partnership on AI. I think it’s also the follow-up of your G20. I must say that what happened today between the ministers was something that President Macron and Prime Minister Modi have discussed here in Delhi in September 2023.”

“So, less than one year after, we are having the results and the outcome and the new dynamic of this group now joining more than 40 countries together from the north, from the south, from the east, from the west, from all around the planet to work together. And we will have in February 2025 in Paris what we call the AI Action Summit where India will be invited, where we will continue to work together. And for me, it’s really a good place today to be because the vision we have in common is one that, for me, will bring success to our people, to the planet and to innovation,” she added.

The ‘Global IndiaAI Summit’ is being organized in New Delhi on July 3-4. According to the official statement, the Summit will focus on key pillars of the AI ecosystem, including Compute Capacity, Foundational Models, Datasets, Application Development, Future Skills, Startup Financing, and Safe and trusted AI.