05/12/24 | Palais de l’Elysée, Paris
Pas d’IA sans les femmes
Une rencontre internationale des dirigeantes de la Tech proposée par La villa numeris et l’European Network for Women in Leadership s’est déroulée à Paris
L’European Network for Women in Leadership (WIL Europe), réseau européen de femmes leaders, et notre think tank, organisaient une conférence de haut niveau, «No AI without Women», jeudi 5 décembre 2024 au Palais de l’Elysée (Paris).
Sous l'égide et en présence d’Anne Bouverot, membre du WIL et envoyée spéciale du président de la République pour l'IA, la conférence fait partie du programme officiel «Road to the AI Action Summit» pour lequel il a été labellisé, une série d'événements en préparation du sommet international«AI Action Summit» organisé par la France, les 11 et 12 février 2025 à Paris.
Cette conférence a permis de mettre en lumière la contribution des femmes dans le développement de l'intelligence artificielle (IA) et leur rôle essentiel pour une IA éthique, responsable et socialement utile.
Cet événement a également été l'occasion pour les femmes et les hommes de l’IA de se rencontrer, d'échanger leurs points de vue et d’imaginer l’avenir ensemble autant que de montrer les réalisations des femmes dans l'IA.
:: Replay
:: Welcoming Remarks
WIL Europe President Thaima Samman and President of La villa numeris, David Lacombled, inaugurated the event at the Élysée Palace in Paris, welcoming experts and thought leaders. Thaima opened the conference by highlighting the paradox of AI, where women perform as well as or better than men yet remain hesitant to engage with technology, including educated women. She noted that discussions around AI can be heated and oversimplified. On his side, David emphasised his commitment, along with La villa numeris and its members, to fostering solidarity and supporting the visibility of women in AI. This event aimed to explore how to build responsible and sustainable AI, its potential in unlocking life sciences, its support for key sectors such as construction and energy, and the evolving strategies within the finance sector.
:: Keynote by Anne Bouverot
In her opening remarks, WIL Member Anne Bouverot, President Macron's Special Envoy for AI, welcomed guests and distinguished speakers to a day dedicated to exploring the future of AI, and showcasing great female talent. She noted the importance of gender inclusivity in AI development and implementation, and the pivotal role women play in driving innovation and ensuring that diversity remains at the heart of AI governance. She reminded guests that this event was being held in the run up to the AI Action Summit which will be hosted by France on 10-11 February 2025 in Paris.
:: Roundtable: How Do We Build a Responsible AI?
Gaia Marcus: «People have the most positive attitudes about the uses of AI that they perceive to have the highest public benefit – use of AI in cancer diagnostics, for example. But even in use cases they want to know there are safeguards, for example expert explainability or redress when things go wrong.»
The first roundtable was moderated by Omar Al-Nuaimi, International CEO of Osborne Clarke. He was joined by Asma Mhalla, Author and Associate Researcher on Global Tech Politics at EHESS; Dr. Ysens De France, Lecturer on AI's Legal, Economic, and Cultural Aspects at Panthéon Sorbonne; and Gaia Marcus, Director of the Ada Lovelace Institute. Their compelling discussion focused on the key challenges and opportunities in shaping and implementing responsible and ethical AI, and in ensuring that is guided by the public interest.
:: Fireside Chat with Lucilla Sioli
Lucilla Sioli: «Today’s conference offers a valuable platform to emphasise the crucial role women play in shaping the future of AI. Their contribution is key to ensuring that Europe’s diversity and excellence lead the way in advancing trustworthy AI globally.»
In a thought-provoking conversation with Thaima Samman, Lucilla Sioli, Director of the EU AI Office at DG CONNECT within the European Commission, shed light on the crucial contributions of the AI Office in shaping Europe’s digital future. Lucilla highlighted that the AI office’s mission extens beyond mere regulatory implementation: it is equally committed to nurturing innovation policies that bolster the growth of AI technologies.
Lucilla emphasised the indispensable role of trust in catalysing investments, noting a significant disparity between the public and private sectors in AI research and development. While Europe’s public sector investment in AI R&D stands on par with that of the United States, the private sector continues to trail. She called for stronger efforts to address this gap and ensure that Europe remains competitive in the global AI landscape.
Furthermore, Lucilla articulated the harmony between the AI Act and Europe’s broader ambition of achieving technological sovereignty. She underscored the necessity of mastering and advancing AI technologies tailored to meet Europe’s unique needs. Reflecting on her journey as a female leader in the AI domain, Lucilla highlighted the vital importance of inclusivity and diversity in fostering trustworthy AI advancements.
:: Fireside chat: Can AI Move from Imagination to Tangible Innovation?
Dara Treseder: «AI is a game-changing technology that will fundamentally transform the way we work and live. It is vitally important that women have a seat at the table as we build, train, and evolve these models.»
This lively discussion explored AI’s shift from concept to practical solutions. Moderated by Tammy Haddad, Founder of the Washington AI Network and CEO of Haddad Media, the panel featured Dara Treseder, Chief Marketing Officer at Autodesk, and Simona Paravani-Mellinghoff, Global CIO of Solutions, BlackRock Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions. Speakers addressed how AI is being used as a tool used across industries to transform conceptual ideas into real-world, impactful innovations, and the impact on the economy and future of work in particular.
:: Keynotes
After a networking coffee break, the event continued with a presentation from Delphine O, Ambassador and Secretary General for the Generation Equality Forum (Beijing+25). She discussed the Laboratory for Women’s Rights Online, which focuses on addressing online gender-based violence and the need for international standards to protect users.
We also heard from Marie-Aude Aufaure, CEO of Datarvest, who followed with insights from the La villa numeris report, Pour une IA à impact positif. She highlighted the importance of fostering a positive AI culture in France and Europe and shared strategic recommendations to enhance the European AI ecosystem's societal impact.
:: Fireside chat: How do We Harness Sustainable AI?
WIL Board Member Maria Pernas, Member of the Group Executive Committee, and Group General Counsel and Commercial & Contract Management at Capgemini, moderated the third debate, focused on how we harness Sustainable AI. Joining her were Dr. Sasha Luccioni, AI & Climate Lead at Hugging Face, and Guillaume Dubrule, Group Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at Rexel. The panel addressed both the environmental risks around AI, as well as how AI can be developed and implemented to drive climate action and promote long-term sustainability. Examples from Sasha and Guillaume about how AI is being used for this purpose, from France to the Amazon rainforest, were powerful and added colour to the debate.
:: Fireside chat: How do we Place AI at the Service of Society?
The last fireside chat at the No AI Without Women conference was moderated by WIL Member Cristiana Falcone, Principal at CBF Strategy. It featured expert speakers Joëlle Barral, Senior Director of Research & Engineering at Google DeepMind, and Claire Biot, Vice President of Life Sciences and Healthcare at Dassault Systèmes. The discussion focused on AI's transformative potential in life sciences and global health, looking in its role in furthering scientific research, clinical development, and medicine manufacturing. Speakers emphasised the need for trust in AI to ensure its responsible adoption and positive impact on healthcare advancements.
:: Closing Speech
The conference concluded with a closing address from WIL President Thaima Samman, who thanked attendees for their active participation at the discussions, with special recognition given to Anne Bouverot, sponsor of the event. The conference offered a unique opportunity to unite business leaders, policymakers, researchers and experts to explore the future of AI, and in particular how to integrate inclusivity, ethics, and sustainability into its development. It was a powerful moment to celebrate the vital role women play in shaping this fast-growing industry.
As the day came to a close, guests and panellists gathered for a networking cocktail at the stunning Élysée Palace. This offered the perfect opportunity to reflect, exchange ideas, forge new connections, and unwind after a day filled with inspiring speakers and thought-provoking presentations. Participants left with a wealth of new ideas and perspectives to help shape the future of AI - one with women at its heart!
:: Speakers
Pour Thaima Samman, présidente du WIL, «Des femmes dans l’IA, il en existe beaucoup. Qu’elles fassent la démonstration de leur compétence sur les enjeux, le fonctionnement et l’utilité de l’Intelligence artificielle devant l’audience la plus large est la meilleure façon d’accompagner et d’encourager toutes les femmes à s’emparer et maitriser ces technologies, qui vont, qu’on le veuille ou non, faire évoluer notre rapport à beaucoup de sujets de nos vies courantes. Nous comprenons toutes qu’il faut apprendre à conduire avant de monter dans une voiture, l’Intelligence Artificielle est tout autant accessible pour autant qu’on s’y intéresse».
Pour David Lacombled, président de La villa numeris, «alors que la plupart des révolutions se sont faites sans ou contre elles, encourager et favoriser la présence des femmes dans la technologie, tout en amplifiant leur visibilité, relève d’une impérieuse nécessité, que cela soit dans la conception ou dans l’utilisation des solutions d’intelligence artificielle».
:: Pour aller plus loin
- Programme de la matinée (.pdf) >> Voir
- How do we regulate what we can’t predict? L’interview de Thaima Samman, présidente du WIL Europe, au Washington AI Network >> Regarder
- Sommet pour l'action sur l'intelligence artificielle, les 10 et 11 février 2025 >> Lire
- WIL Europe, European Network for Women in Leadership >> Découvrir
- Prendre la lumière. La chronique de David Lacombled dans l’Opinion (08/03/23) >> Lire
A propos de The European Network for Women in Leadership (WIL Europe). WIL Europe est une plateforme dédiée à la promotion et à l'avancement des intérêts professionnels et sociaux des femmes leaders et des femmes aspirantes à des postes de direction à travers l'Europe. Aujourd'hui, le réseau compte des membres influents/femmes dirigeantes de toute l'Europe issues du monde des affaires, de la politique, de l'administration et du monde universitaire. Ses membres se rencontrent et échangent avec les leaders du monde politique, économique et académique à travers le monde.
A propos de La villa numeris. Think tank indépendant, La villa numeris accompagne les décideurs ouverts d’esprit qui veulent rayonner, explorer de nouvelles voies et accélérer leur développement en leur proposant un tiers lieu de réflexion, hybride, reposant sur des points de vue singuliers ainsi que des formats originaux une approche du numérique connectant humain et technologie.