In Paris, an important summit will focus on the geopolitics of artificial intelligence (AI) as global leaders, executives, and experts come together to discuss commitments for guiding the rapid development of this technology. This summit marks another chapter in worldwide discussions on AI governance, which are becoming increasingly urgent as China’s popular AI chatbot, DeepSeek, reshapes the industry.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will make his first foreign trip since taking office to attend the AI Action Summit in Paris, while Chinese President Xi Jinping will send a special envoy, highlighting the significance of the gathering.
### Key Aspects of the Summit
Leaders and high-ranking officials, technology directors, and researchers will meet for a two-day summit co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The goal is to harness AI’s potential for the greater good while addressing its inherent risks.
Prominent figures among the attendees include Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and executives from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. Notable personalities like Elon Musk and DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng have also been invited, though their attendance remains uncertain.
The summit will start with panels and workshops, followed by a dinner at the Élysée Palace for global leaders and executives. A closing session will feature speeches from the leaders and business heads.
### Challenges and Opportunities
Two years since the introduction of ChatGPT, generative AI is advancing at an astonishing rate. This technology, which can create high-quality text, images, and videos, is radically transforming numerous aspects of daily life. The previous summit in the UK led to a non-binding agreement among 28 nations to tackle AI risks, while a follow-up meeting in South Korea focused on establishing a network of AI safety institutes.
However, the Paris summit aims to broaden the discussion to involve more countries and a wider array of topics related to AI. Organizers do not anticipate any binding regulations to emerge from this meeting.
Macron emphasized the importance of setting rules for AI to avoid a chaotic landscape, stating, “AI cannot be the Wild West.”
### Proposed Outcomes
Organizers aim to produce a joint political declaration committing signatory countries to ethical, democratic, and environmentally sustainable AI. However, it is unclear if the United States will accept such an initiative. Another significant goal is to establish a public-interest partnership for AI, with France seeking to raise €2.5 billion (approximately $2.6 billion) to support a public-private collaboration providing open access to essential AI tools.
Macron’s team intends to shift the focus from merely outpacing human intelligence through computing power to leveraging data to solve pressing issues like cancer treatment and COVID-19’s aftermath.
### The Trump Administration’s Perspective
Former President Donald Trump has expressed ambitions for the U.S. to become the “world capital of artificial intelligence,” advocating for the use of domestic energy resources to power high-energy-demand technologies. He has also moved to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and dismantle AI protections set by the Biden administration in favor of his approach, which emphasizes reduced regulatory barriers and the development of unbiased AI systems.
Experts suggest that the U.S. stance could complicate obtaining a collective agreement at the summit. Analysts highlight that Trump’s skepticism about global governance could hinder consensus on broader issues related to AI.
### The Role of China
China’s representation at the summit has escalated, with Xi sending Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing as his special representative. This marks a significant shift from the previous summit, where China sent a lower-ranking official. It signals a desire for China to play a more influential role in global AI governance as the U.S. steps back.
The recent launch of DeepSeek has surprised many due to its competitive capabilities against Western counterparts like ChatGPT, intensifying the technology race between Beijing and Washington. Trump described DeepSeek as a “wake-up call” for the U.S. technology sector, with ongoing concerns about privacy and security impacting its operations in the West.
As DeepSeek aligns with French interests in developing AI outside of traditional costly frameworks, both countries look to capitalize on advancements in this sector despite challenges.
### Transatlantic Tensions
Europe’s regulatory stance continues to be a point of contention, particularly with its history of imposing antitrust penalties on U.S. tech giants. Recent European Union proposals around AI regulation have faced pushback from companies, with some stating that the EU’s guidelines could hinder innovation and lead to Europe lagging behind the U.S. and China.
The Paris summit represents a critical moment for international dialogue on AI, with broad implications for the future of technological innovation and governance globally.
