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More than a thousand people have already signed the call launched by the Montpellier Metropolitan Area and the University of Montpellier to support AI projects in Montpellier

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Students, teachers, researchers, engineers, and CEOs of startups and companies, along with representatives from industry sectors, local governments, and healthcare institutions…: more than 1,100 people have stepped forward by signing the call to action launched just a few weeks ago by the University of Montpellier, the Montpellier Metropolitan Area, and local AI stakeholders to establish Montpellier as a hub for artificial intelligence. Among them are many nationally and internationally recognized experts, such as Yann LeCun, the father of modern AI, winner of the Turing Award—the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in computer science—and Director of AI Research and Vice President at Meta.

A petition calling for signatures in support of a region committed to responsible, sovereign, and ethical AI

The Montpellier Metropolitan Area and the University of Montpellier are entering the prestigious race to win the major “AI Cluster” call for proposals as part of France 2030, an initiative aimed at establishing a center of excellence in artificial intelligence. With its dynamic ecosystem, Montpellier is positioning itself as a major player in the field of AI. The “AI Cluster” call for proposals represents a unique opportunity for recognition for this region, which could rise to the rank of International Capital of Artificial Intelligence, thereby highlighting the significant impact of the collective momentum in the region.

The panel hearing the Montpellier delegation, led by the University of Montpellier, will convene this Monday, January 8, at 10 a.m. in Paris. “Everyone answered the call,” notes Michaël Delafosse, Mayor and President of the Metropolitan Area. The University, the University Hospital, the ICM, research organizations and laboratories, and local authorities (the Occitanie Region, the Hérault Department) have expressed their support for the project in Montpellier, notably through a partnership with the Metropolis and the Occitanie Region.

This nomination is based on a petition calling for signatures to show support for this unprecedented initiative in Montpellier to promote innovation, research, and world-class AI training: https://ia-med.fr/exprimez-votre-soutien/, a petition that has just surpassed 1,100 signatories. 

Montpellier’s bid is the only one to have garnered such broad support from the entire local community and ecosystem, as evidenced by the signatures collected . This is a unique initiative on a national scale.

Montpellier: A City Buzzing with AI Initiatives

Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole, located in the Occitanie region, is a dynamic hub for innovation, offering exceptional academic, entrepreneurial, and infrastructural resources. True to its reputation as a leader in innovation, Montpellier stands out for its proactive approach to artificial intelligence: 

  • The University of Montpellier, together with its academic partners, is recognized for the quality of its research, with a strong focus on the themes of “Feeding, Healing, and Protecting.” Artificial intelligence is present in all fields. AI research at the intersection of health and the environment has led to numerous achievements. One example is Pl@ntNet – https://plantnet.org/ developed in partnership between research organizations (CIRAD, IRD, INRAE, Inria) and laboratories at the University of Montpellier, which , with its 25 million users in over 200 countries, combines scientific excellence, participatory research, and technology transfer to private companies. 
  • The Montpellier Metropolitan Area is thus the first city to organize a local citizens’ convention to determine the future uses of AI for its residents and the region. This convention provides a platform for dialogue and discussion on current and future AI challenges across various sectors, including healthcare, transportation, the green transition, social justice, and customer relationship management. 
  • The region is home to numerous companies and startups that specialize in and utilize cutting-edge AI technologies. Beyond the most iconic players in the digital sector (such as Dell, IBM, and Atos) or in fields that rely heavily on digital technology (Grid Solutions, SLB), several companies are recognized as leading players. For instance, by combining AI and cybersecurity, PRADEO and Bfore.ai rank among the most prominent on the international stage. The startup Numalis recently announced that it had raised funds to provide all the tools necessary for building trustworthy AI. Rooted in the fields of healthcare and the environment, certain startups are also making their mark and betting on AI, such as VOGO, Intrasense, Predict Services, and SWEEP, which positions itself as a leader in IT solutions for decarbonization.
  • Local authorities, the Regional Education Office, and the University of Montpellier have also decided to join forces to provide training on artificial intelligence for students and teachers, from elementary school through college. Thus, for the very first time in France, all of these stakeholders have signed a collective commitment agreement to raise awareness and provide training on artificial intelligence for school-age students, with the aim of addressing issues such as the impact of AI on schoolwork, copyright, personal data, fake news, and more.
  • A key partner in the project, CINES—a national organization with three core missions (high-performance computing, long-term archiving, and hosting)—has recently seen its expertise recognized with the arrival of the Adastra supercomputer. Adastra is the most powerful supercomputer in France and ranks third in the world for its low environmental impact on the Green500 list. At the same time, we are currently deploying AI solutions on supercomputers at CINES in Montpellier, thereby creating a unique consortium for local governments, researchers, and businesses. We plan to organize AI awareness and training modules for various institutions and are preparing an international forum scheduled to take place in Montpellier in 2024–2025.
  • In October 2022, the Montpellier Metropolitan Area took a bold step regarding artificial intelligence by banning automated facial recognition within its jurisdiction to protect its citizens’ civil liberties. At a time when many cities are grappling with the issue of video surveillance using AI—particularly during the Olympic Games—Montpellier has chosen a trustworthy approach to digital technology. 

“Digital technology is, above all, a political issue. What we are doing in Montpellier, at the initiative of Michaël Delafosse, is working on technology that serves our residents and our region. This is the essence of our commitment to trustworthy, ethical, sovereign, and responsible AI. “We are the very first region in France to consult our citizens on AI in the region, listen to their recommendations, and shape our future AI and data strategy. This is AI by and for the citizens,” says Manu Reynaud, Deputy Mayor of Montpellier in charge of the Digital City.

“There are a great many artificial intelligence projects underway in Montpellier,” notes Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier.“They reflect the extensive expertise of our research laboratories, partner institutions, and businesses. The vIA-UM project, submitted in response to the ‘AI Cluster’ call for expressions of interest, embodies these strengths and the strong collaborative spirit among all stakeholders.”

A pioneer in AI in healthcare

Montpellier, a hub of medical innovation and home to Europe’s oldest medical school (dating back eight centuries), is renowned for its ecosystem centered on new medical technologies. As part of the MedVallée project—a global center of excellence in global health—many companies in the Montpellier region are using AI to develop new medical solutions, such as Quantum Surgical, which has just received European certification for its AI-powered robot used to treat lung cancer.
It is also a strong ecosystem for public health research: the Montpellier University Hospital is working on the ERIOS project (Space for Research Integration of Digital Tools in Health), within which the ERIOS#1 initiative brings together the University Hospital, the company Dedalus, and the University of Montpellier to create the first experimental center for the use of health software. With several targeted use cases (such as monitoring therapeutic isolation in psychiatry), AI plays a particularly important role here, and engineers specializing in generative AI are working alongside researchers to support the ongoing digital revolution.

In Montpellier, civil society is organizing events on AI

New generative AI technologies are also prompting reflection across all sectors of Montpellier society: numerous roundtable discussions have been organized to explore the future impacts of artificial intelligence on various aspects of daily life: