Perspectives on AI: A live podcast at VivaTechnology 2025 with Vincent Luciani, Co-founder of Artefact, and Paul Midy, Member of Parliament for Paris

The world of AI is expanding rapidly, reshaping industries and societies alike. At VivaTech 2025, Vincent Luciani, Executive Chairman and Co-founder of Artefact, and Paul Midy, Member of Parliament for Paris, joined 40 Shades of Next, the podcast for French tech champions hosted by Thomas Benzazon of FeuilleBlanche Media.
They discussed the transformative potential of AI, as well as the roles of sovereignty, innovation and collaboration in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future. They also talked about France’s ability to massively scale up AI tools, and the importance of neither giving in to fear nor missing out on this historic opportunity.

While AI is often seen as a technical marvel, Vincent Luciani insisted that the true potential of AI lies in its ability to transform processes and professions. “AI is not just about technology,” he said. “It’s about helping our clients use it and reinvent tasks around it.” Artefact’s decade-long evolution showcases this approach, supporting major clients like Orange in building AI-driven systems that enhance daily operations for marketing teams and customer service managers alike.

Artefact’s work with Orange, particularly in creating their AI Factory, highlights the importance of real-world applications. From assisting technicians to empowering marketing teams with predictive tools, Vincent stressed the significance of “usage” in making AI impactful. “The question is always about usage, it’s not just a buzzword.”

The two participants listed the foundational elements needed to advance AI adoption:

• Supportive ecosystems: Collaboration between public policy and the private sector, fostering innovation through legislative and financial support.
• Focus on usage: Moving beyond buzzwords to ensure that AI solutions are practical, scalable, and user-centric.
• Training and upskilling: Preparing the workforce to embrace AI tools, a crucial step in avoiding an AI-driven digital divide.

Paul stressed the importance of bringing everyone along in the AI revolution, advocating for ambitious goals such as training 10 million employees in AI tools within the next three years to ensure that technological advancements translate into tangible benefits for society. “AI offers the potential to save workers an hour a day,” he remarked. “But for this to happen, we need to bring everyone on board.”

Sovereignty in technology is a cornerstone for economic independence and security, observed Paul. “We must not repeat the mistakes of the past by relying solely on foreign solutions. We need to move forward as quickly as possible, but at the same time, we need to develop our own sovereign solutions.” 

Both speakers agreed on balancing pragmatism with ambition: leveraging international partnerships like those between Mistral and Nvidia while building a self-sufficient AI ecosystem within Europe.

“For me, sovereignty is above all about exercising control, training people, and having choices,” said Vincent. He acknowledged the challenges of achieving full sovereignty but argued that progress doesn’t need to wait for perfection. “We’re building hybrid systems that combine critical local processes with global computing power,” he explained. “This approach ensures that we remain competitive while protecting our most sensitive data.”

The conversation explored AI’s applications across industries, from improving productivity in businesses to enhancing defense capabilities. Vincent drew a parallel to France’s comprehensive control over the Rafale production chain, advocating for a similar approach in AI. He added, “We can imagine hybrid systems where critical data and processes are managed locally, but we also embrace global computing power to scale operations.”

In defense, the role of AI is becoming increasingly vital. Technologies like drones and jamming systems are redefining modern warfare. “The armies that will win the wars of tomorrow, the peace of tomorrow, are the ones that will have the best AI,” Paul stated, emphasizing the need for Europe to develop its own capabilities in these critical areas.

A balanced approach to AI implementation is crucial for Vincent: “Automation provides efficiency, but augmentation creates value.” He cited examples of how AI can support professionals, like banking advisors, by providing tailored recommendations or aiding creative endeavors such as AI-assisted perfume formulation, as demonstrated by Artefact’s collaboration with renowned perfumer Robertet.

This human-first approach ensures that AI complements human effort rather than replacing it. Vincent described two main conditions for creating jobs. “The first is not to focus solely on automation. Automation is the easy win that companies will look for because in a tough economy it enables them to make investments. But you also need to focus on creating new jobs and new tasks, to work not only on automation but also on augmentation. 

 

“The key is to use AI to empower professionals with new tools while fostering creativity and innovation in their fields.”

The conversation concluded with a glimpse into the future. Paul stressed the importance of staying alert to new opportunities: “We don’t yet know where AI will take us, but we must ensure we are the leaders in shaping its trajectory.”

Vincent emphasized the convergence of AI with robotics, envisioning a world where intelligent agents seamlessly interact with the physical environment. He shared insights into emerging projects, such as Tesla’s plans for domestic robots, which could revolutionize daily life. “The boundary between virtual algorithms and physical interaction is very thin,” he said. “We’re seeing systems that can analyze, reason, and act in the real world.”

Paul was enthusiastic about French innovations like Wandercraft’s exoskeletons and their potential to lead in robotics. “These projects exemplify the ingenuity and ambition needed to establish Europe as a global leader in AI and robotics.”

Harnessing AI’s transformative power responsibly and inclusively is paramount. As Vincent concluded, “Technology will keep evolving, but if we have the right people and mindset, we can ensure that these changes lead to progress for all.”