Paris gets European Centre for AI Excellence

Initiative by WEF and VivaTech

The World Economic Forum (WEF) and VivaTech have jointly announced the establishment of a new European Centre for AI Excellence (CAIE) in Paris, France, which will launch later this year.

The new centre will join the WEF’s global network of Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), which aims to advance technological innovation to drive transformative global change.

The C4IR is a platform for multistakeholder collaboration, bringing together public and private sectors to maximise technological benefits to society while minimising the risks. It explores exponential technologies and drives their responsible adoption and application, leveraging a global network of independent national and thematic centres.

The CAIE is set to address critical challenges in artificial intelligence (AI) by developing tailored solutions to meet Europe’s specific needs. Its goals include driving innovation, fostering economic growth, and reinforcing Europe’s position as a key player in the global AI landscape.

France, with its strong commitment to AI research and development, will provide a strategic foundation for the centre, supporting cross-border research, facilitating the growth of start-up ecosystems, and promoting the responsible use of AI throughout society and business.

The announcement follows the Action AI Summit, French President Emmanuel Macron organised in Paris in February 2025. The summit highlighted Europe’s growing leadership in AI and underscored the importance of balancing technological progress with ethical considerations.

Supported by the WEF’s AI Governance Alliance—one of the world’s largest and most diverse networks of AI stakeholders—the CAIE will foster collaboration to develop inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible AI solutions. By promoting AI adoption that benefits society, it aims to enhance productivity, competitiveness, and technological advancement across Europe.

Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, expressed the organisation’s commitment to shaping the future of AI in a way that has positive societal and economic impact. “The new centre will bring together businesses, policymakers, and researchers to develop and scale AI solutions that create positive impacts for all,” he said.

The CAIE’s strategic priorities will emphasise leading research, driving responsible AI adoption across various industries, and fostering cross-sector collaboration to address shared challenges. The centre will also connect the European AI innovation ecosystem to global opportunities, enhancing Europe’s competitiveness worldwide.

Maurice Lévy, Founder of VivaTech and Emeritus Chairman of Publicis Groupe, highlighted the centre’s potential to play a vital role in fostering pan-European collaboration for AI. He added: “Once launched, the centre will showcase Europe’s unique role in advocating an alternative AI model that balances innovation with individual rights. The centre will be open to researchers worldwide and facilitate close collaboration with European AI Research Institutes.”

The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, launched by the WEF in 2017, serves as a platform for collaboration between the public and private sectors. It aims to harness the benefits of exponential technologies like AI while addressing their potential risks. The network includes independent national and thematic centres that explore and drive the responsible adoption of transformative technologies globally.

The first C4IR centre was established in San Francisco, and additional centres were launched in countries such as Japan, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. The network now spans the globe, with centres in over 20 countries, including the United States, South Korea, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia.

The launch of the CAIE in Paris adds a new dimension to the WEF’s ongoing efforts to shape the global technological landscape. By providing a dedicated space for AI collaboration and research, the centre will play a key role in ensuring that Europe continues to lead the way in responsible AI development and innovation.

As the global demand for AI solutions grows, the CAIE will help Europe maintain its competitive edge while addressing the ethical and societal challenges of such rapid technological advancement.

Image: The CAIE will foster collaboration to develop inclusive, sustainable, and socially responsible AI solutions. Credit: Bianca Salgado