The World Economic Forum (WEF) and VivaTech have announced the establishment of the European Centre for AI Excellence (CAIE) in Paris, aiming to solidify Europe’s role as a global leader in artificial intelligence. The centre, set to launch in 2025, will become part of WEF’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) global network, marking a significant step forward in AI-driven innovation and governance.
Pushing Europe’s AI Boundaries
The CAIE will focus on tackling Europe-specific AI challenges, supporting cross-border research, and promoting responsible AI adoption across industries and society. Leveraging France’s robust research ecosystem and dynamic start-up environment, the centre aims to boost innovation, productivity, and competitiveness on the global stage.
Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, highlighted the initiative’s broad impact: “The new centre will bring together businesses, policy-makers, and researchers to develop and scale AI solutions that create a positive impact for all.”
Strategic Priorities and Collaboration
The CAIE’s objectives include:
- Showcasing leading AI research and technological breakthroughs.
- Driving responsible adoption of AI solutions across diverse sectors.
- Fostering cross-sector collaboration to address shared challenges.
- Linking Europe’s AI ecosystem with global opportunities.
The centre will operate under the guidance of WEF’s AI Governance Alliance, promoting inclusive and sustainable AI practices. It will play a pivotal role in aligning technological advancement with societal progress, in line with the outcomes of the Action AI Summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris this February.
Maurice Lévy, Founder of VivaTech, underscored the collaborative vision: “The centre will be open to researchers from across the world, fostering pan-European collaboration and promoting a balanced approach to AI that champions both innovation and individual rights.”
Building on a Global Network
The CAIE joins an expansive network of C4IR centres worldwide, including hubs in Japan, India, Germany, South Africa, and the United States. This network fosters collaboration between public and private sectors to harness exponential technologies while mitigating risks.
Since the inaugural C4IR launch in San Francisco in 2017, the network has expanded to over 20 countries, driving responsible technology adoption across AI, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and more.
