Paris, France — The geopolitics of artificial intelligence will take center stage at a major summit in France, where world leaders, tech executives, and AI experts will negotiate pledges on guiding the development of this rapidly evolving technology.
As AI governance becomes a global priority, the Paris AI Action Summit marks a crucial moment, especially with the emergence of China’s budget-friendly and powerful DeepSeek chatbot shaking up the industry.
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U.S. Vice President JD Vance—making his first international trip since assuming office—will represent the United States at the summit beginning February 10. Meanwhile, China’s President Xi Jinping is dispatching a special envoy, signaling the strategic importance of the meeting.
Global Power Players Convene
Hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the two-day summit brings together a powerhouse lineup, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Tech leaders such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft President Brad Smith, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will also be in attendance.
Tesla’s Elon Musk and DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng have been invited, though their participation remains uncertain. The summit’s agenda includes high-level discussions at the Grand Palais, followed by an exclusive dinner at the Élysée Palace for heads of state and industry leaders.
The Stakes: AI at a Crossroads
Generative AI continues to evolve at a staggering pace, revolutionizing industries and daily life. However, concerns about safety, ethical AI use, and regulation loom large.
The previous AI Safety Summit in the UK led to a non-binding pledge from 28 nations to address AI risks. South Korea followed up with an agreement to establish public AI safety institutes. Paris aims to build on these initiatives, broadening the discussion to include more nations and key AI-related topics.
However, unlike previous editions, this summit will not produce any legally binding regulations.
“The summit comes at a time when many nations are positioning themselves in the international AI competition,” Macron told La Provence. “It’s about setting the rules of the game—AI cannot be the Wild West.”
Key Deliverables: Ethical and Open AI
The summit aims to secure commitments for ethical, democratic, and environmentally sustainable AI. Organizers are working on a joint political declaration, though it remains unclear if the U.S. will endorse such measures.
A major highlight is the launch of “Current AI,” a public-interest partnership with an initial $400 million investment. Over the next five years, the initiative aims to raise $2.5 billion to provide open-source access to AI tools and databases for trusted developers.
Macron’s team is pushing for a shift away from raw computing power as the primary driver of AI supremacy. Instead, the focus will be on leveraging AI to address real-world challenges like cancer research and Long COVID solutions.
“We now have a rare opportunity to mitigate AI’s risks while ensuring it improves lives,” said Martin Tisné, the summit’s envoy for public interest AI.
Trump’s AI Push: Deregulation and U.S. Leadership
U.S. President Donald Trump has emphasized his goal of making the U.S. the global AI capital by leveraging energy resources to power AI development. His administration has scrapped former President Joe Biden’s AI guardrails, replacing them with policies aimed at reducing regulations and ensuring AI systems remain free of “ideological bias.”
This approach may put Washington at odds with other summit participants. “Trump opposes global AI governance,” said Nick Reiners, senior geotechnology analyst at Eurasia Group. “Expanding the conversation beyond safety—to include workforce impacts, environmental concerns, and inclusivity—makes a broad agreement much harder.”
China’s Growing AI Influence
Xi Jinping is sending Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing as his special representative, elevating China’s role in AI diplomacy. This is a significant upgrade from the 2023 Bletchley Park summit, where China sent only a vice minister of science and technology.
The surprise success of DeepSeek has escalated the AI rivalry between Beijing and Washington. Trump called DeepSeek’s rise a “wake-up call” for the U.S., while his AI advisor David Sacks accused the Chinese firm of using stolen OpenAI data. DeepSeek now faces scrutiny and bans in some countries over security and privacy concerns.
Yet DeepSeek’s efficiency—achieving cutting-edge AI performance at a fraction of the cost and with fewer chips—aligns with France’s interest in open-source AI. Macron sees an opportunity to promote European AI alternatives like French startup Mistral.
“DeepSeek validates the idea that AI advancement doesn’t require hundreds of billions of dollars in chip investment,” Reiners noted.
U.S.-EU Tensions on AI Regulation
Brussels remains a thorn in the side of U.S. tech giants. The European Union’s aggressive regulation, including multi-billion-dollar antitrust penalties against Google, Apple, and Meta, has sparked Trump’s ire.
Last month, at the World Economic Forum, Trump criticized the EU’s penalties as an “anti-American tax.” More recently, Meta has refused to sign onto the EU’s proposed non-binding AI code of practice, calling it “unworkable.”
With AI regulations tightening across Europe, tensions between the U.S. and the EU could intensify at the summit, adding another layer of complexity to the already high-stakes discussions.
Looking Ahead
As the Paris AI Action Summit unfolds, all eyes will be on whether global leaders can align on AI’s future—or if geopolitical divides will overshadow progress. With the U.S. prioritizing deregulation, China asserting its AI dominance, and Europe pushing for stringent oversight, the road ahead remains uncertain.
Regardless of outcomes, this summit marks another pivotal moment in the AI race—one that will shape the landscape of global AI governance for years to come.
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