French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Europe to cut back on regulatory red tape to foster the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) across the region. Speaking at an AI summit in Paris, Macron emphasized the need for the European Union (EU) to streamline its rules and align with global standards to remain competitive in the tech race.
“We will simplify,” Macron declared, highlighting the urgency of synchronizing Europe’s approach with the rest of the world. He pointed to the rapid reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral as an example of how simplified regulations can drive progress. “The Notre-Dame approach will be adopted for data centers, market authorizations, AI, and attractiveness,” he said.
The summit, held at the Grand Palais, underscored Europe’s ambition to become a global leader in AI innovation. Following Macron’s speech, the venue transformed into a vibrant nightclub atmosphere, with a DJ playing music and messages like “let’s innovate” and “free yourself” echoing through the space.
The push for lighter-touch regulation comes as the United States and China adopt more aggressive strategies to dominate the AI sector. U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent moves to dismantle AI guardrails have intensified pressure on the EU to ensure its companies remain competitive.
Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s digital chief, echoed Macron’s sentiments, pledging to reduce overlapping regulations and ease the administrative burden on industries. “We will cut red tape and the administrative burden from our industries,” she said in an interview with Reuters.
Last year, the EU approved the AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive set of rules governing AI. However, many at the summit argued that the bloc must now balance regulation with innovation to avoid stifling growth. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the importance of AI for Europe’s productivity, calling for more ecosystems of innovation like the one emerging in France.
Macron announced significant private-sector investments in AI, totaling €109 billion ($113 billion), including plans by French startup Mistral to open a data center in the Paris region. Clem Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face, a U.S.-based company with French co-founders, praised the investments, saying they signaled France’s commitment to ambitious AI projects.
The summit also saw the launch of Current AI, a partnership between countries like France and Germany and industry players such as Google and Salesforce. With an initial investment of 400million,theinitiativeaimstofundpublic−interestprojects,includingthedevelopmentofhigh−qualityAIdataandopen−sourcetools.Thepartnershiphopestoraiseupto2.5 billion over five years.
Martin Tisné, founder of Current AI, stressed the need for a public-interest focus to avoid the negative consequences seen with social media. “We have to have learned the lessons,” he said.
However, not all attendees supported the push for lighter regulation. Brian Chen, policy director at U.S.-based nonprofit Data & Society, expressed concerns about pressure to weaken the EU’s AI Act. Labor leaders also raised alarms about AI’s impact on workers, particularly those displaced by automation and forced into less-protected jobs.
As Europe seeks to balance innovation with regulation, the summit highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of the AI revolution. With Macron’s call for simplification and significant investments on the horizon, the region aims to carve out a leading role in the global AI landscape.
