Warning: France Is Falling Behind in the AI Revolution!

Over the past few decades, France has missed several technological revolutions. We underestimated the rise of the internet—too attached to our beloved Minitel (“The internet will never work,” my banker told me when I presented my startup idea in 1998!). We failed to seize the moment with search engines, social media, and cloud computing. Each time, we were late. Yet, despite these missed opportunities, our economic model endured: promising startups emerged, our major corporations thrived, and our institutions weathered the disruption.

But this time, resilience may not be enough. The AI revolution is not just another wave of technological change—it is a civilizational shift. Unlike past revolutions that reshaped our tools and industries, AI is redefining the very foundations of our world. It is transforming education, reshaping the workforce, and revolutionizing healthcare.

AI will also deeply impact our democracies by challenging our perception of truth itself. In an era of misinformation and AI-generated realities, the line between fact and fiction is blurring. This threatens to erode trust—the bedrock of our social contract. Our governance must adapt: more decentralization, more subsidiarity, and a central government focused on its core responsibilities. As Tocqueville once said, “A new science of politics is needed for a new world.”

Falling behind in AI is not just about losing a technological race or market share. It is a threat to our sovereignty, our global standing, and even our national unity.

I often say that AI should be the top story on every evening news broadcast. Yet in France, it is still treated as a niche, technical subject. While the United States and China are locked in a battle for AI supremacy, France—and Europe—are standing on the sidelines. China holds 52% of the world’s AI patents; the U.S. holds 17%. These two giants are shaping the future, while France’s share of global R&D spending has plummeted from 6% to 2% in just fifteen years. This decline should be a wake-up call.

And then there is Europe, seemingly determined to sabotage itself with the AI Act—a regulation-first approach that risks suffocating innovation before it even takes root. By over-regulating AI, we risk pushing our brightest minds to seek opportunity elsewhere. We must let French ingenuity thrive! As Hayek reminds us, “Progress cannot be planned; it is by nature unpredictable. It consists essentially in the creation of the unforeseen.”

Instead of being obsessed with regulation, governments should focus on fostering innovation. We need policies that free entrepreneurs and researchers from bureaucratic constraints and stimulate demand for AI solutions. A real AI Act should include bold initiatives—such as directing at least 50% of all government AI-related contracts (and broader Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies) to European companies. This would help structure a strong ecosystem and revitalize our technological industry.

Today, the average company in France’s CAC 40 stock index is 105 years old—a testament to the stability of our economy, but also to its attachment to the past. Meanwhile, the average Nasdaq company is just 20 years old, a reflection of the dynamism of the digital economy. This contrast highlights our urgent need to embrace the future.

Education: The Real Battleground

To prepare for this new world, education is key. In an era driven by technology, future generations must master the fundamentals of knowledge—starting with mathematics, which helps us model complexity, and language, which allows us to express it. Yet France is collapsing in global education rankings like PISA, foreshadowing a disastrous future. If we do not correct this course now, we will deprive the next generation of the tools they need to control their own destiny.

Even worse, we risk creating a new social divide—between those who control AI and those who are controlled by it. In a world where studies predict that AI could eliminate 300 million jobs, these skills are not just valuable; they are essential for economic, social, and democratic survival.

The AI revolution is not some distant, theoretical concept. It is here, and its impact is accelerating. France can no longer afford to watch as the world moves forward. We must embrace this transformation decisively—mobilizing our economy, our businesses, our institutions, and, most importantly, our education system.

This is not just a technological issue; it is a political and social one. It is about sovereignty, independence, and survival in the new global order taking shape. France has the talent, the resources, and the legacy to turn this revolution into an opportunity. But doing so will require boldness, courage, and a willingness to reinvent ourselves.

The time for hesitation is over. The future belongs to the nations that act now.

Rafik Smati

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