Global leaders compete for AI supremacy at upcoming Paris Summit

PARIS: On February 10 and 11, 2025, France will host the ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit’ gathering at the Grand Palais – a two-day global summit focused on the advancement and future goals of artificial intelligence (AI), in which delegates from 80 countries, including world leaders, tech executives, academics, non-governmental organisations, artists and members of the civil society are expected to convene.

However, an underlying factor is adding intensity to this gathering: China’s new AI assistant, DeepSeek. This highly effective and rapidly viral AI technology has shifted the competition landscape, raising concerns that the previously dominant position of the US AI sector might not be as secure as thought.

Talking to BBC, Prof. Gina Neff from the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge notes a current “vacuum for global leadership in AI.” Similarly, Prof. Dame Wendy Hall of Southampton University highlights the impact of DeepSeek, stating, “China has proven to be a formidable force.” She asserts that a global discussion is necessary instead of merely adhering to the agendas of major tech firms on the West Coast.

The timing of this summit is critical, as Europe sees a chance to assert itself in the AI race. An official from French President Emmanuel Macron’s administration referred to the summit as a “wake-up call” for France and Europe, emphasizing the need for the continent to engage actively in the AI revolution.

Also read: Italy, Ireland remove DeepSeek AI chatbot from App Stores

Other nations are also aware of this potential shift in AI power dynamics, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirming his attendance—an acknowledgment of the summit’s significance since he had previously skipped similar events.

The United States is sending notable representatives as a show of strength, including Vice President JD Vance, DeepAI CEO Sam Altman, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Notably absent from the guest list is Elon Musk, who is expected to comment on the proceedings regardless of his presence. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also reportedly will not be attending.

This summit follows two earlier gatherings—one in the UK and another in South Korea. Significant changes have occurred in the AI landscape since the inaugural summit at Bletchley House in November 2023, including the political engagement of many nations, with half of the world’s population voting since then.

Unlike in Bletchley Park, where China’s Vice Minister for Science and Technology, Wu Zhaohui, attended under tight scrutiny, the Paris summit is expected to welcome Chinese representation prominently. China is sending Ding Xuexiang, a close ally of President Xi Jinping, and there is anticipation regarding the participation of DeepSeek’s creator, Liang Wenfeng.