France will host the third edition of the AI Action Summit on February 10 and 11 in Paris, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss artificial intelligence. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will co-chair the summit, providing an opportunity for discussions on AI governance, technological collaboration, and strategic partnerships.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will attend for the American delegation. Other notable participants include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft President Brad Smith, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. China will be represented by Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, signaling its engagement in the discussions. The summit follows previous editions held in the UK in 2023 and in South Korea in 2024.
The Summit will focus on five major themes, including public service AI, future of work, innovation and culture, trust in AI, and global governance of AI.
Discussions will also address AI’s role in economic development, with a particular emphasis on emerging economies. AI4India and the Center for Policy Research and Governance (CPRG) will co-host a panel discussion on AI in the Global South, examining data utilization for development.
AI Action Summit is the latest in a series of global dialogues around AI governance with two previous editions held in the UK in 2023, and a smaller gathering in Seoul, South Korea, last year.
One of the objectives of the summit is to provide safe and accessible AI while ensuring effective governance. Unlike previous summits that centered on safety commitments, this edition will focus on distributing AI’s benefits to developing nations. France, co-hosting the event with India, aims to highlight the role of open-source AI models and clean energy solutions for data centers.
China’s AI sector has gained attention with the rise of the low-cost foundational model DeepSeek, which has positioned itself as a competitor in global AI markets. The discussions will also address industry concerns related to energy consumption and sustainability. France, with its nuclear energy capacity, will present its approach to balancing AI expansion with energy efficiency.
A key expected outcome of the summit is a funding commitment from philanthropies and businesses, starting with $500 million and projected to reach $2.5 billion over five years, to support public-interest AI projects. The event will also examine how AI can be integrated into different sectors while managing its impact on labor markets.
The summit will provide a platform for international collaboration, with nearly 100 countries participating. While discussions will cover various policy approaches, the event is not expected to introduce new AI regulations. Instead, it will focus on technological advancements, economic integration, and the strategic use of AI in global markets.
