Consortium led by IP Paris and HEC Paris wins a €70million call for AI Cluster projects

The consortium led by IP Paris and its five schools (École polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris, Télécom SudParis) et HEC Paris had won, through their joint interdisciplinary center, Hi! PARIS, a call for projects under the AI Cluster plan launched in June 2023 by the government.

The consortium also includes Inria, CNRS, Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées and Université de Technologie de Troyes.

The announcement of the selection of “Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030” was made by French President Emmanuel Macron, who gathered France's top artificial intelligence talents at the Elysée Palace on Tuesday afternoon.

The financing of “Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030” amounts to €70 million euros over five years.

As part of the “France 2030” investment plan, the aim of the AI Cluster call is to build a network of around ten internationally renowned French academic clusters in artificial intelligence (AI), to foster the emergence of international leaders in France, attract top talent and increase the number of people trained in AI and its uses.

It also aims to preserve and consolidate the position of French research in key AI fields. 

Finally, this project aims to deploy AI innovation in all key economic sectors, and in particular in the priority areas of France 2030.

“Expanding our influence in critical AI fields"

“We are very proud to have won this call for projects, which marks an important milestone for the Hi! PARIS Center as well as for our long-standing collaboration in the service of Science, Economy and Society between our two institutions. It brings the Center even closer to its ambition of becoming a global magnet for AI research, education, entrepreneurship and innovation. The funds allocated will enable it to accelerate its international dimension, increase its impact and strengthen France's position on the global AI scene", said Thierry Coulhon, Acting President of Institut Polytechnique de Paris and Eloïc Peyrache, Managing Director and Dean of HEC Paris.

The project supported by Hi! PARIS therefore focuses on excellence in research, teaching, innovation and technology transfer, as well as diversity in training. It covers different areas of artificial intelligence and is aimed at specialized profiles, from researchers working on general AI to those focusing on specific application areas. 

“This project represents an exceptional opportunity to strengthen our commitment to interdisciplinary research and broaden our influence in critical areas of AI, while making a significant contribution to current societal and economic debates,” explains Eric Moulines, head of “Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030.”

The four pillars of “Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030

“Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030” is built around four pillars: research, education, innovation and society.

In terms of research, the program focuses on interdisciplinary AI studies. It is organized around seven areas: Mathematical Foundations of AI, AI for Society, Generative AI and Foundation Models, Trusted, Frugal and Interpretable AI, AI for Science and Engineering, AI in Cyber-physical Systems and Robotics, and AI for the Economy.

When it comes to training, Hi! PARIS intends to rank among the world leaders in AI education. On the one hand, by attracting international talent, and on the other, by contributing to the competitiveness of French companies. This means increasing the number of AI graduates and creating new masters and MsCT courses.

Undergraduate programs with a series of distinctive international or professional courses, and continuing education are not forgotten.

To support innovation, Hi! PARIS intends to double the Center's teams of research engineers and develop computing and data infrastructures dedicated to AI. “Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030” will also contribute to the creation of unicorns (startups valued at over a billion dollars) through existing incubation programs, enriched with a component dedicated to AI.

Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030 will also contribute to the creation of unicorns through existing incubation programs, enriched with a dedicated AI component. Finally, the AI component of Hi! PARIS' international deep-tech gas pedal program, which serves as a launch pad for new French champions, will be strengthened.

The final pillar of “Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030” is society. Determined to advance knowledge and promote the responsible and beneficial use of AI for the common good Hi! PARIS intends to promote inclusion. The Center is banking on the diversification of profiles by seeking out and encouraging talent, both female and male, from high school onwards. This is the aim of its Hi! School program.

“The selection of the ‘Hi! PARIS Cluster 2030’ project is a real recognition of the work undertaken by our Center since its creation, and marks a new stage in our development. The entire Hi! PARIS team, and beyond that all the teams at the schools that support us, are mobilized to make France a global hub for AI and contribute to a dynamic, sustainable and inclusive economy and society,” concludes Raphaëlle Gautier, Executive Director of Hi! PARIS.