It is VivaTech time once again. The trade show kicked off in Paris for its tenth edition, still centered on artificial intelligence (AI) and its applications, with Europe’s technological dependencies emerging as a key underlying theme.
AI Security and European Sovereignty at the Forefront
The issue of AI security is also at the heart of discussions at the final day of the G7 summit in Évian, attended by U.S. President Donald Trump and global tech leaders.
Last week, the Trump administration ordered U.S. AI startup Anthropic to suspend foreign nationals’ access to its two most powerful models, Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, citing national security concerns. The decision triggered a sharp wake-up call in France, reinforcing concerns over technological vulnerability and strengthening calls for European digital sovereignty.
Shortly after the opening of VivaTech, France and Germany—the guest country of the edition—issued a joint statement affirming their “shared vision to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty.” Both countries announced the relaunch of the Franco-German Future Forum, including plans to develop a common catalogue of sovereign digital solutions.
Ministers, Tech Leaders, and Strategic Encounters
As Europe’s largest tech event, VivaTech is a regular meeting point for global tech leaders. Nearly 15,000 startups are showcasing their products and services until Saturday at the Paris exhibition center.
Expected attendees include French AI researcher Yann LeCun, who launched his new company AMI Labs earlier this year, the CEO of Dutch semiconductor giant ASML, and Peter Steinberger, creator of an AI agent-building tool.
French Economy Minister Roland Lescure is also touring the exhibition floor, including a visit to French startup ChapsVision.
In parallel, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that France’s domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI, will phase out its use of U.S. company Palantir, replacing it with French data analytics firm ChapsVision after roughly a decade of service.
“We cannot accept new strategic dependencies in digital technologies,” Lecornu said, reaffirming France’s commitment to technological sovereignty.
Palantir responded in a statement saying its contract with the DGSI—renewed in December for three years—remains “fully in force,” while the government has not specified a migration timeline.
Lecornu also announced an additional €655 million investment in AI under the France 2030 program.
A Dense Ecosystem of Deals and Announcements
President Emmanuel Macron is expected at the event on Thursday, alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The show floor is described as a bustling hub where founders, investors, industry representatives, and international delegations converge. “We expect partnership announcements, and possibly fundraising rounds—it’s fairly typical,” said Jean-Christophe Liaubet of EY.
A Record-Breaking Edition in the Making
For its tenth anniversary, VivaTech is expanding significantly, increasing its exhibition space from 50,000 to 70,000 square meters, and aiming to surpass last year’s record attendance of 180,000 visitors.
After a symbolic parade on the Champs-Élysées on Sunday—the first in the event’s history—Wednesday’s program includes live robot demonstrations on stage.
Humanoid robots from Chinese companies Unitree and Agibot are expected to impress audiences with advanced mobility demonstrations, while European robotics startups such as Genesis, Botiful, and Pal Robotics will also showcase their latest innovations.
