France to step up artificial intelligence efforts to close gap with US and China

European powers risk falling behind in the global competition for future technologies as Google, Apple, Facebook and China’s AI companies plow ahead. 

Tourists taking selfies at the "Esplanade du Trocadero" in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Photo: AFP

(Bloomberg) -- President Emmanuel Macron is rolling out France’s strategy to close an artificial-intelligence gap with the U.S. and China, saying it’ll require Europeans to get more comfortable with sharing data.

After a buildup that includes naming one of the world’s top mathematicians as his point man, Macron is expected to propose higher government funding for research and updated rules on data use in his speech Thursday at a former 13th-century Cistercian college in Paris. He also plans to tout incentives for scientists and companies to move to France.

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