France's Tech Policy Takes Center Stage at Vivatech and G7 AI Summit

At Paris' Vivatech expo, French presidential candidates Gabriel Attal and Édouard Philippe outlined proposals on artificial‑intelligence regulation, startup support and data protection, seeking to inherit Emmanuel Macron’s pro‑tech legacy. Marine Le Pen made her first appearance at the event, emphasizing a nationalistic, "made‑in‑France" approach to technology.

The following week, President Emmanuel Macron hosted a G7 working session on AI security in Evian, bringing together leaders of the global tech industry and heads of state, including U.S. President Donald Trump. The ministers agreed on common principles to protect minors on social media and discussed a joint declaration on AI safeguards. The meeting also touched on digital‑tax disputes, with the United States threatening tariff measures against French wine over tech‑tax disagreements. Former prime ministers Attal and Philippe warned that "the AI war has already started" and that France "does not master the models or the computing power" needed for advanced AI, prompting France to replace U.S. firm Palantir with domestic data‑analysis company ChapsVision for intelligence work.