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Already more than a thousand signatories to the appeal launched by Montpellier Metropolitan Area and Montpellier University to support Montpellier's AI projects

[] - Published on in Press Room, Flagship Projects

Students, teachers, researchers, engineers, startup and company presidents, industry representatives, local authorities, healthcare institutions... More than 1,100 people responded by signing the appeal launched just a few weeks ago by the University of Montpellier, Montpellier Métropole, and local AI stakeholders to establish Montpellier as a stronghold of artificial intelligence. Among them are many nationally and internationally recognized experts, such as Yann LeCun, 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 call for signatures supporting 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 projects as part of France 2030, an initiative that aims to establish 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 projects represents an unprecedented opportunity for recognition for this region, which could rise to the rank of International Capital of Artificial Intelligence, highlighting the significant impact of collective dynamics in the region.

The jury hearing the Montpellier delegation led by the University of Montpellier will meet on Monday, January 8, at 10 a.m. in Paris. "Everyone responded to the call," said Michaël Delafosse, Mayor and President of the Metropolis. The University, the University Hospital, the ICM, research organizations and laboratories, and local authorities (Occitanie Region, Hérault Department) have expressed their support for the project in Montpellier, notably through a partnership with the Metropolis and the Occitanie Region.

This application is based on a call for signatures to show support for Montpellier's unprecedented mobilization in favor of innovation, research, and leading-edge AI training: https://ia-med.fr/exprimez-votre-soutien/, which has now exceeded 1,100 signatories. 

Montpellier's bid is the only one to enjoy such broad support from the entire community and ecosystem of the region, as demonstrated by all of its signatures. This is a unique approach on a national scale.

Montpellier: a city buzzing with AI initiatives

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

  • The University of Montpellier, together with its academic partners, is renowned for the quality of its research, with a strong focus on the themes of "Feeding, Caring, Protecting." Artificial intelligence is present in all fields. AI research at the interface between health and the environment has led to numerous achievements. One example is Pl@ntNet – https://plantnet.org/ a partnership between research organizations (Cirad, IRD, INRAE, Inria) and laboratories at the University of Montpellier, which , with 25 million users in more than 200 countries, combines scientific excellence, participatory research, and 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 exchange on current and future AI issues in various sectors, combining health, mobility, ecological transition, social justice, and user relationship management. 
  • The region is home to numerous companies and startups specializing in and using cutting-edge AI technologies. Beyond the most iconic players in the digital field (Dell, IBM, and Atos, for example) or in fields that make heavy use of digital technology (Grid Solutions, SLB), several companies are recognized as leading players. Combining AI and cybersecurity, PRADEO and Bfore.ai are among the most visible internationally. The startup Numalis recently announced that it had raised funds to provide all the tools needed to build trustworthy AI. Anchored in the fields of health and the environment, certain startups are not to be outdone and are banking 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 Authority, and the University of Montpellier have also decided to join forces to provide training in artificial intelligence for schoolchildren and teachers, from primary school to university level. As a result, for the first time in France, all of these stakeholders have signed a collective agreement to raise awareness and provide training on artificial intelligence for schoolchildren, in order to address issues such as the impact of AI on schoolwork, copyright, personal data, fake news, etc.
  • A key partner in the project, CINES, a national player with three 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 in the Green 500. At the same time, we are currently installing AI solutions on supercomputers at CINES in Montpellier, creating a unique consortium for local authorities, 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, Montpellier Metropolitan Area took a strong stance on artificial intelligence by banning automated facial recognition technology within its territory in order to protect the civil liberties of its citizens. At a time when many cities are considering the use of AI-powered video surveillance, particularly during the Olympic Games, Montpellier has opted for trustworthy digital technology. 

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

"There are numerous artificial intelligence projects underway in Montpellier," emphasizes Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier. "They reflect the considerable expertise of research laboratories, partner institutions, and businesses. The vIA-UM project, in response to the 'AI Cluster' call for expressions of interest, reflects these strengths and the significant momentum for collaboration among all stakeholders."

A pioneer city in AI in healthcare

Montpellier, a city renowned for innovation in medicine and home to Europe's oldest medical school (founded eight centuries ago), stands out for its ecosystem focused on new medical technologies. As part of the MedVallée project—a global center of excellence in global health—many companies in the Montpellier area are using AI to develop new medical solutions, such as Quantum Surgical, which has just received European certification for its AI-powered robot that operates on lung cancer.
It is also a strong ecosystem for public health research: Montpellier University Hospital is working on the ERIOS (Espace de Research d'Intégration des Outils numériques en Santé) project, in which the ERIOS#1 project brings together the University Hospital, the company Dedalus, and the University of Montpellier to create the first center for experimentation on the uses of software in healthcare. With several targeted use cases (e.g., monitoring therapeutic isolation in psychiatry), AI plays a particularly important role, and engineers specializing in generative AI are working alongside researchers to support the digital revolution that is currently underway.

In Montpellier, civil society is organizing events on AI

New generative AI technologies are also raising questions for all aspects of Montpellier society: numerous round tables have been organized to discuss the future impact of artificial intelligence on various aspects of everyday life: