The AI Action Summit 2025, held in Paris from February 6 to 11, was a landmark event. It convened global leaders, AI experts, researchers, policymakers, industry executives, and civil society representatives to shape the future of artificial intelligence. The summit focused on AI governance, safety, innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration.
The Paris AI Action Summit
Building on the foundation of previous two AI Safety Summits at Bletchley Park in 2023 and Seoul in South Korea in 2024, the week-long Paris program began with the Science Days (February 6–7), followed by the Cultural Weekend (February 8–9), and culminated in a high-level summit segment on February 10–11. The event aimed to achieve three primary objectives:
- Ensuring access to independent, safe, and reliable AI for a wide range of users.
- Promoting the development of environmentally sustainable AI.
- Establishing an effective and inclusive framework for global AI governance.
The summit featured a dedicated Conference on AI, Science, and Society, where leading researchers presented AI advancements and explored AI’s transformative impact on science and society.
Keynote addresses in the final high-level segment by heads of government and the EU and industry executives was the summit’s highlight. The leaders emphasized the need to balance AI safety with economic growth while addressing geopolitical concerns, human rights, and environmental sustainability.
The summit discussions underscored AI’s vast potential while highlighting the urgency of ethical regulations, equitable access, and sustainable AI development. It also marked a significant step forward in fostering collaborative networks, such as the Global AI Ethics Consortium, and formulating comprehensive policy recommendations to drive responsible AI innovation.
Despite AI’s immense promise, a critical challenge remains: harnessing its power responsibly while mitigating risks to security, human rights, and the environment. The summit reinforced the international community’s responsibility to shape an AI-driven future that upholds universal values.
Although the summit did not fully resolve all these complex challenges, it set the stage for the next chapter in AI’s global evolution, fostering meaningful dialogue and paving the way for a responsible AI-driven future.
Global Leaders’ AI Vision and Commitment
In his inaugural address, French President Emmanuel Macron underscored AI’s transformative potential and the critical need for international collaboration to ensure its responsible development. He reaffirmed France’s commitment to leading AI innovation while upholding ethical standards.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his opening address [video, text], said the world was standing at the dawn of the AI age, where technology wass rapidly reshaping politics, the economy, security, and society and fast writing the ‘code for humanity’. He emphasized that AI’s impact surpasses previous technological milestones, necessitating global cooperation to establish governance frameworks and standards that uphold shared values, mitigate risks, and foster trust. He stressed that AI governance must balance risk management with innovation, ensuring equitable access to AI, particularly for the Global South.
Modi urged the international community to tackle AI biases, democratize access, ensure sustainability, and prepare for workforce transitions. He affirmed India’s readiness to lead and contribute to shaping AI as a force for progress, fostering a brighter, fairer, and more sustainable future. His speech offers ten key takeaways that guide AI stakeholders.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen advocated for a collaborative and open-source approach to AI development, emphasizing that public trust depends on transparency and inclusivity. She said, “AI can be a gift to humanity. But we must ensure its benefits are widespread and accessible to all. We want AI to be a force for good, where everyone collaborates and benefits.” She called for frameworks that balance innovation with safeguards to protect societal interests.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance took a pro-business stance, cautioning against excessive regulation that could stifle innovation. He stressed the need for policies that foster economic growth while ensuring the United States remains competitive in the global AI landscape.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed optimism about AI and its transformative potential, emphasizing the opportunity to benefit people worldwide. Citing examples of how technology improves lives, he described AI as “the most profound shift of our lifetimes.” Pichai underscored the importance of collaboration and concrete action to harness AI’s benefits equitably. He warned against the risk of an “AI divide,” urging global efforts to ensure fair access to AI technologies. He also highlighted the need for responsible development and deployment, and emphasized the critical role of public policy in shaping AI’s future.
Pitchai said, “This is an important and historic moment. When history looks back, it will see this as the beginning of a golden age of innovation. But these outcomes are not guaranteed. The biggest risk is missing out. Every generation fears that new technology will make the next generation’s lives worse—but it’s almost always the opposite. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve lives at the scale of AI.”
Major Themes and Discussion
The summit addressed various facets of AI and its societal implications.
1. AI for Public Good and Equitable Access
The summit emphasized AI’s role in healthcare, education, and economic development and in meeting the UN 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), calling for open-source AI models and high-quality, unbiased datasets. However, concerns were about AI reinforcing societal inequalities, urging collaborative frameworks that empower all nations, especially those in the Global South.
To address these challenges, France launched “Current AI,” a €400 million initiative to expand AI accessibility, invest in open-source AI tools, and measure AI’s social and environmental impact.
2. AI Safety, Geopolitics, and Security Risks
AI’s impact on global security and democracy was another area of concern. Several experts highlighted the risks of AI misuse in cyberwarfare, autonomous weapons, and misinformation campaigns. The cautioned that advanced AI models could manipulate users, deceive developers, and potentially “escape” human control if left unchecked.
As a stark warning the Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said in a statement, “[W]hile AI has the potential to accelerate economic growth throughout the world dramatically, it also has the potential to be highly disruptive. A “country of geniuses in a datacenter” could represent the largest change to the global labor market in human history.”
Some leaders, such as Macron and Vance, however, downplayed the risks, emphasizing AI’s potential for economic growth and industrial transformation.
3. AI and Environmental Sustainability
Researchers presented studies on the environmental footprint of AI systems, particularly the energy consumption associated with large-scale data processing. Strategies for developing energy-efficient algorithms and leveraging AI to address environmental challenges were proposed.
Launched at the summit, the Coalition for Sustainable AI brought together 37 tech companies and several countries to create standards for measuring and reducing AI’s carbon footprint. Specific commitments included, developing energy-efficient AI models to reduce computational complexity, encouraging tech companies to report AI’s environmental impact transparently, and optimizing AI algorithms to minimize resource consumption. The coalition offers a platform for collaboration on these initiatives.
4. AI and Democracy
A panel of experts examined the interplay between AI technologies and democratic processes. They also explored AI’s role in combating misinformation, enhancing civic engagement, and the ethical considerations of AI deployment in political contexts.
5. AI in Healthcare
Innovations in AI applications for healthcare were showcased, including diagnostic tools, personalized treatment plans, and predictive analytics for disease outbreaks. Speakers emphasized the importance of data privacy and the need for rigorous validation of AI models in clinical settings.
Proposed Actions
Several actionable initiatives were proposed to guide the future trajectory of AI development. They include:
- International AI Research Consortium: Establishment of a consortium to facilitate cross-border research collaborations, share best practices, and promote the development of open-source AI tools.
- Ethical AI Certification Program: Introduction of a certification program to assess and recognize AI systems that adhere to established ethical guidelines, aiming to build public trust and encourage responsible innovation.
- AI Policy Advisory Council: A council comprising policymakers, industry leaders, and academics to provide guidance on AI governance and regulatory frameworks and to ensure the ongoing technological advancements inform policies.
- AI transparency and data protection agreement: Six national data protection authorities signed an agreement to develop legal standards for AI data usage and privacy.
Outcomes and Divergent Perspectives
A significant outcome of the summit was the introduction of a declaration promoting “inclusive and sustainable” AI development. The declaration garnered support from over 60 countries, including France, China, and India. However, the United States and the United Kingdom declined to sign the declaration, citing concerns over the declaration’s lack of practical clarity on global governance and potential national security implications.
This divergence highlights differing philosophies toward AI governance. European leaders, alongside countries like China and India, advocated for collaborative frameworks and ethical oversight. In contrast, the U.S. and U.K. emphasized the importance of maintaining flexibility to foster innovation and competitiveness, expressing apprehension that stringent regulations could impede technological progress.
Implications for AI Stakeholders
The summit holds significant implications for AI researchers, developers, policymakers, and users.
- Researchers. The focus on ethical AI highlights the importance of embedding ethical considerations into research goals and methodologies. Collaborative efforts, such as the proposed international consortium, offer opportunities for interdisciplinary research and resource sharing.
- Developers. The possible introduction of an ethical AI certification program indicates that future AI products may be required to adhere to defined ethical standards. Developers should proactively integrate ethical principles into AI design and deployment to align with evolving expectations.
- Policymakers. The varying perspectives on AI governance underscore the challenge of creating policies that strike a balance between innovation and regulation. Policymakers must address these complexities to establish frameworks that ensure responsible AI development while driving economic growth.
- Users. The ethical use of AI is essential—AI applications must not be exploited for harm, nor should they be used to spread hate or incite violence.
A Pivotal Moment
The summit marked a turning point in the global AI debate as it is poised to shape AI research, development, deployment, and policy-making. While commitments were made toward equitable access, sustainability, and innovation, deep divides in regulatory approaches persist highlighting the complexity of global AI governance.
The summit reaffirmed that AI’s future hinges not only on technical advancements but also on the collective commitment of diverse stakeholders to ethical, societal, and regulatory responsibilities. However, some experts criticized the Paris AI Action Summit as a “missed opportunity,” asserting that its declaration did not go far enough in addressing AI’s potential risks and harms.
As Modi said in his concluding address, “there is unity in vision and unity in purpose across stakeholders.” Governments, tech companies, professional organizations, civil society, and academia each have a crucial role in shaping AI’s future responsibly. IEEE’s new strategic goals help and support advancing AI for the benefit of humanity worldwide.
Looking ahead, India will host the next AI summit, likely focusing on bridging regulatory gaps, ensuring equitable AI deployment, and strengthening global collaboration.
Disclaimer: The author is completely responsible for the content of this article. The opinions expressed are their own and do not represent IEEE’s position nor that of the Computer Society nor its Leadership.
