International AI Summit kicks off in Paris today

A number of world leaders and executives from technology-focused companies are meeting in Paris today, Monday, to discuss how to safely embrace artificial intelligence, at a time when resistance to heavy bureaucracy—seen by businesses as stifling innovation—is on the rise, according to Reuters.

Enthusiasm for regulating AI has declined since the previous AI summits in the UK and South Korea, which had drawn global attention to the technology’s risks following the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, which spread rapidly worldwide.

With U.S. President Donald Trump dismantling AI restrictions set by his predecessor to boost America’s competitiveness, pressure is mounting on European policymakers to take a lighter approach to AI regulations in order to keep European companies in the tech race.

Some EU leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who is hosting the summit, along with tech firms, are pushing for greater flexibility in the EU’s new AI Act to support local startups.

In an interview with French newspapers published on Friday, Macron stated:
“There is a possibility that some will decide to have no rules at all, which would be dangerous. But there is also the opposite risk—if Europe imposes too many rules, it will restrict itself.”
He added: “We should not be afraid of innovation.”

The early steps taken by Trump on AI regulation highlight the growing divergence between regulatory strategies in the United States, China, and the European Union.

Last year, EU lawmakers approved the bloc’s AI Act, making it the first comprehensive legal framework governing AI worldwide.

Ahead of the summit, an agreement was signed with the United Arab Emirates to build a major AI data center, with investments reaching up to $50 billion.