NATIONAL STRATEGY ON AI

Stratégie nationale pour l'intelligence artificielle

Start date :2018
End date :2026
Name of responsible governmental body :
  • Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI;Ministère de lenseignement supérieur, de la recherche et de linnovation)
  • Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF;Ministre de lÉconomie et des Finances)
  • Directorate General for Enterprises (DGE;Direction générale des entreprises)
  • Public Health Ministry (MSS;Ministère de la Santé)
  • Ministry of the Armed Forces (;Ministère des Armées)
  • National Research Institute for Digital Sciences (INRIA;institut national de recherche dédié aux sciences du numérique)
  • Interministrerial Director of the Digital Technology and the Information and Communication System (DINSIC;Direction interministérielle du numérique et du systčme dinformation et de communication de lÉtat)
Description :
  • The National Strategy for AI aims at implementing the recommendations of Cédric Villani report on AI (March 28th 2018). It is composed of an ambitious national program dedicated to research, numerous policies dedicated to AI dissemination in the economy and the administration, and several initiatives to encourage trustworthy AI. The Strategy is coordinated by a National Coordinator who received mandate from the Prime minister to implement it through 9 Ministeries and other public bodies since 2018.
France flag
Objectives:
  • Axis 1 : To enhance research ecosystem on AI in France, by more financial ressources (+/-500 PhD and tenures created), new infrastructures (supercalculator Jean Zay), and more links with the industry (3IA institutes etc).
  • Axis 2 : To accelerate AI dissemination in the economy, public administration and society.
  • Axis 3 : To encourage the development of an Trustworthy AI, either at the national level (Grand Défi Fiabiliser et sécuriser l'intelligence artificielle) or at the international lever (GPAI)
  • Axis 5 : Develop and reinforce excellence in AI educational programs, to increase AI content across all universities to create a mass effect.
  • Among other initiatives aimed at addressing generative AI there are:
    - Call for projects for the creation of digital commons for (multimodal) generative AI in French
    - Global generative AI challenge to evaluate the state of the art among LLM models in the world
OECD AI principle adressed:
  • Inclusive growth, sustainable development and well-being
  • Human-centred values and fairness
  • Transparency and explainability
  • Robustness, security and safety
  • Accountability
  • Investing in AI R&D
  • Fostering a digital ecosystem for AI
  • Providing an enabling policy environment for AI
  • Building human capacity and preparing for labour market transition
  • International co-operation for trustworthy AI
Relevant policy area covered:
  • Competition
  • Corporate governance
  • Digital economy
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Finance and insurance
  • Health
  • Industry and entrepreneurship
  • Innovation
  • Investment
  • Public governance
  • Science and technology
  • Social and welfare issues
  • Transport
Related to a theme:
Direct beneficiaries:
Estimated budget expenditure (range per year):
  • More than 500M
Background including shifts in the policy initiative:
  • In November 2021, France launched a revised version of the national AI strategy.

    France's strategy is largely based on 2018 Cedric Villani's report, "making sense of artificial intelligence - for a national and European strategy".
    The primary themes of the Villani Report are:
    (1) developing an aggressive data policy to improve access to big data, (2) targeting four strategic sectors - healthcare, environment, transport, and defence, (3) boosting the potential of French research and investing in talent, (4) planning for the impact of AI on labour, (5) making AI more environmentally friendly, (6) opening up the black boxes of AI, and (7) ensuring that AI supports inclusivity and diversity.
Policy initiative is a structural reform:
  • No
Evaluated:
  • No
Link to evaluation or reports:
  • N.A
Public access URL:
Funding from the private sector:
  • Yes
Type of evaluation:
  • N.A
Evaluation provides input to:
  • N.A
Evaluation performed by:
  • N.A
Policy instruments :

National strategies, agendas and plans

  • Type : National strategies, agendas and plans
  • Name in English : The plan consists of four components. Key among them was the announcement of the National Artificial Intelligence Programme, which will create a network of four or five research institutes across France. Second, France will develop an open data policy to drive the adoption and application of AI in sectors where France already has the potential for AI excellence, such as healthcare. Third, the government will create a regulatory and financial framework to support the development of domestic “AI champions.” Finally, the government will development regulations for ethics to ensure that the use and development of AI is transparent, explainable, and non-discriminatory.
  • Description : The plan consists of four components. Key among them was the announcement of the National Artificial Intelligence Programme, which will create a network of four or five research institutes across France. Second, France will develop an open data policy to drive the adoption and application of AI in sectors where France already has the potential for AI excellence, such as healthcare. Third, the government will create a regulatory and financial framework to support the development of domestic “AI champions.” Finally, the government will development regulations for ethics to ensure that the use and development of AI is transparent, explainable, and non-discriminatory.
  • Country : France
  • Strategy mainly prioritises : International cooperation on STI | Societal challenges (e.g. social inclusiveness); environmental challenges (e.g. sustainability) | Specific areas/sectors (e.g. new industrial policy, R&D targets for clean tech) | Technology transfers and commercialisation | Education and skills | Public research capabilities | Business innovation and innovative entrepreneurship | AI policy governance (e.g. vertical and horizontal coordination, evaluation)
  • - Quantifiable target, Deadline : Societal challenges (e.g. social inclusiveness); environmental challenges (e.g. sustainability): “Fostering Greener AI”, “Dissemination of ecological data”, “Designing AI that uses less energy”, “using artificial intelligence to help create a more ecological economy”
  • Societal challenge(s) emphasised : Inclusiveness (e.g. inequality, job insecurity) | Environmental sustainability | Health
  • Implementation mechanism : Action plan | Dedicated budget allocations

Regulatory oversight and ethical advice bodies

  • Type : Regulatory oversight and ethical advice bodies
  • Name in English : Pilot process for ethical aspects of AI and digitaltechnology
  • Description : Piloting process to be launched at the end of 2019, within the CCNE (national committe on bioethics).Publicity of reports to be confirmed after the pilot phase.
  • Country : France
  • Type(s) of oversight or advice : Technical guidance (e.g. toolkits, documentation, technical standards)
  • Activities : Provide expert ethical opinion | Identify areas of oversight reform
  • Reports to : Ministry
  • The regulatory oversight/ethical advice body is composed of : A mix / other
  • - Other : Academia from CERNA, civil society, industry and government, and open citizen participation.
  • Reports are publicly available : Yes

Public consultations of stakeholders or experts

  • Type : Public consultations of stakeholders or experts
  • Name in English : Villani Report Consultation
  • Description : On 8 September 2017, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe tasked Cedric Villani, Mathematician and Deputy for the Essonne, with a mission on artificial intelligence (AI). His goal was to lay the foundations of an ambitious French strategy in the AI field.The mission’s work was carried out between 8 September 2017 and 8 March 2018.Its tasks included:a.The hearing of 400 experts from a variety of areas and a careful consideration of several contributions, including the contribution of France Strategy;b.Implementing a public consultation in partnership with Parlement & Citoyens, which 1,639 people participated in;c.Completing a benchmark of policies implemented in 15 countries;d.A survey conducted by Mediametrie and the Villani mission of about 3000 individuals.
  • Country : France
  • Stakeholders contribute to : Policy objective formulation | Policy design
  • Method : Conferences and public hearings | Participatory workshops and seminars | Expert groups/committees
  • Number of participants : 251 to 500

Emerging AI-related regulation

  • Type : Emerging AI-related regulation
  • Name in English : No regulator on AI."France Expérimentation" to encourage experiments."Mobility law" to encourage autonomous vehicle experiments.AI Standards strategy supported through the "Grand Challenge" on "AI certification".Global Partnership on AI at international level.
  • Description : No regulator on AI."France Expérimentation" to encourage experiments."Mobility law" to encourage autonomous vehicle experiments.AI Standards strategy supported through the "Grand Challenge" on "AI certification".Global Partnership on AI at international level.
  • Country : France
  • Role of government : Technology/innovation enabler (e.g. interoperability standards) | Protector of public values
  • Challenge(s) addressed : Other
  • - Other : Facilitating experiments with AI
  • Type(s) of regulation : Self-regulation (e.g. codes of conduct, guidelines, standards) | Regulatory experiments (e.g. sandboxes)
  • Regulatory approach : Technology-based regulation (e.g. moratoria, bans, standards of use)
  • Level of governance : National | International
  • Approach to monitor compliance : Regulated parties are simply required to share compliance data (no regulator support)

Grants for business R&D and innovation

  • Type : Grants for business R&D and innovation
  • Name in English : Challenges IA
  • Description : EUR 5 million for 40 AI challenges
  • Country : France
  • Maximum grant duration : 12 months or less
  • Maximum amount of grant awarded in euros : Less than 100K
  • Type of activity : Applied research | Experimental development
  • Requires a form of collaboration : With industry partners
  • Selection criteria : Track record of applicant | Feasibility of project | Alignment with national strategic priorities (e.g. targeted business sectors and technologies)
  • Contribution (e.g. matching funds) required from beneficiary : Yes

Standards and certification for technology development and adoption

  • Type : Standards and certification for technology development and adoption
  • Name in English :
  • Country : France
  • Geographical dimension : National
  • Objective(s) : Quality and performance
  • Standards developed through : Other
  • - Other : Taskforce on AI certification ("Grand Challenge")
  • Adoption fostered by : Collaborative platforms
  • The following services associated to the standards have public support : Certification | Measurement

Networking and collaborative platforms

  • Type : Networking and collaborative platforms
  • Name in English : Health Data Hub
  • Description : https://www.health-data-hub.fr/
  • Country : France
  • Focus : Addressing social or environmental challenges
  • Share of the platform's funding coming from the private sector (as a % of total funding) : 0%
  • Exchanges take place via : Sharing infrastructures or facilities
  • Objective(s) : Promote research partnerships
  • Ownership of IP stemming from science-industry research : Not applicable

Data access and sharing

  • Type : Data access and sharing
  • Name in English : Health Data Hub
  • Description : https://www.health-data-hub.fr/
  • Country : France

Science and innovation challenges, prizes and awards

  • Type : Science and innovation challenges, prizes and awards
  • Name in English : Grand Challenge
  • Description : Each programm uses 30 M€ to identify actions to support business and/or research activities that will contribute to solve the challenge. Three AI challenges: Medical diagnosis, AI certification, and Automating cybersecurity.
  • Country : France
  • Selection type : Ex-ante (based on a solution to a proposed challenge)
  • Type of challenge : Health | Research challenge, i.e. centred on a specific domain of science or technology
  • Type of reward : Monetary

Centres of excellence grants

  • Type : Centres of excellence grants
  • Name in English : Interdisciplinary Institutes of Artificial Intelligence (3IA)
  • Description : Interdisciplinary institutes for AI (3IA institutes) aims at bringing together excellence researchers through grants. This program focuses on academic excellence, interdisciplinary research and collaboration with industry that must support 1/3 of the project. The four projects, which were short-listed at an earlier stage by a jury of international researchers, definitively obtained the 3IA label on Wednesday 24 April 2019. This labelling covers an initial period of four years.Additionally, each institute has been given areas of specialisation:MIAI@Grenoble-Alpes will focus on health, the environment and energy.In Nice, 3IA Côte d’Azur will be looking at health and the development of the territories.The PRAIRIE institute, based in Paris, will concentrate on health, transport and the environment.The ANITI in Toulouse will cover issues relating to transport, the environment and health.With funding of €75 million via the third component of the Investments for the Future Programme (PIA3), the institutes will also receive an equivalent amount of support from public and private partners. In total, €225 million will be spent on 3IA research projects.Information on penalties and rewards to be completed.More information here: https://www.inria.fr/en/news/news-from-inria/four-3ia-projects-selected
  • Country : France
  • Maximum duration of funding for individual unit/centre : 5 years or less
  • Share of public funding (as a % of total funding of the centre of excellence) : 50-69%
  • Focus : Key technology (basic research) | Key technology (commercial applications)
  • Criteria for funding : Alignment to national research priorities | Societal impact anticipated | Scientific impact anticipated | Commercial impact anticipated
  • Requires a form of collaborative research : Science-industry | Science-science
  • Ownership of Intellectual Property (IP) stemming from science-industry research : Not applicable
  • Penalties and rewards associated to performance : None of the above

Fellowships and postgraduate loans and scholarships

  • Type : Fellowships and postgraduate loans and scholarships
  • Name in English :
  • Description : Fellowship call for research grants in complements of 3IA institutes : https://anr.fr/en/call-for-proposals-details/call/research-and-teaching-chairs-in-artificial-intelligence/PhD call : https://anr.fr/en/call-for-proposals-details/call/call-for-programmes-phd-contracts-in-artificial-intelligence/
  • Country : France
  • Type of financial assistance : Non-repayable
  • Type of individual sponsored : Doctoral student | Established researcher
  • Promotes international mobility of students and researchers : Incoming
  • Promotes intersectoral mobility (e.g. between the academic and private sectors) : No

AI computing and research infrastructure

  • Type : AI computing and research infrastructure
  • Name in English : Jean Zay computer: http://www.idris.fr/eng/jean-zay/Funding of EuroHPC
  • Description : Jean Zay computer: http://www.idris.fr/eng/jean-zay/Funding of EuroHPC
  • Country : France
  • Main focus of support : National infrastructure(s)
  • Objective(s) : Other
  • - Other : Provide computing capabilities to public research
  • Funding used for : Acquiring major computing equipment | Increasing user access to AI-enabling infrastructure

Labour mobility regulation and incentives

  • Type : Labour mobility regulation and incentives
  • Name in English : Law PACTE
  • Description : Law PACTE
  • Country : France
  • Type of mobility : Intersectoral (public to private sector or vice-versa)
  • Programme objective(s) : Attract foreign talent | Build industry-science linkages | Other
  • - Other : Keep public researchers in public institutions while allowing them to work within private entities
  • Mechanism : Economic (e.g. salary subsidy)
  • Portion of salary subsidised by the instrument : 40-80%
  • Average duration of salary subsidy : Not applicable
  • Screening scheme : Not applicable
  • Intended mobility destination : Private research and development labs

Labour mobility regulation and incentives

  • Type : Labour mobility regulation and incentives
  • Name in English : French Tech Visa (not specific to AI)
  • Description : French Tech Visa (not specific to AI)
  • Country : France
  • Type of mobility : International
  • Programme objective(s) : Attract back diaspora (e.g. emigrating talent) | Attract foreign talent
  • Mechanism : Regulatory (e.g. immigration legislation and quotas)
  • Portion of salary subsidised by the instrument : No
  • Average duration of salary subsidy : Not applicable
  • Screening scheme : Employer-led
  • Intended mobility destination : Private research and development labs | Firms

Grants for business R&D and innovation

  • Type : Grants for business R&D and innovation
  • Name in English : EUR 30 million is allocated to each Grand Challenge. Each Grand Challenge is led by a program director. Grand Challenges concern AI: improve medical diagnosis with AI, certification of AI, automating cybersecuirty.
  • Description : 30 M€ is allocated to each Grand Challenge. Each Grand Challenge is led by a program director. 3 Grand Challenges concern AI: improve medical diagnosis with AI, certification of AI, automating cybersecuirty
  • Country : France
  • Maximum grant duration : More than 36 months
  • Maximum amount of grant awarded in euros : More than 1M
  • Type of activity : Applied research | Experimental development
  • Requires a form of collaboration : With industry partners
  • Selection criteria : Societal impact anticipated | Alignment with national strategic priorities (e.g. targeted business sectors and technologies)
  • Contribution (e.g. matching funds) required from beneficiary : Yes
Last updated : Nov 23, 2023
OECD and European Commission Logo
Sign up for OECD artificial intelligence newsletter