Keynote-HE Emmanuel Macron
19 Feb 2026 10:15h - 10:30h
Keynote-HE Emmanuel Macron
Session at a glance
Summary
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a keynote address at an Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on AI cooperation between France and India and the broader global implications of artificial intelligence development. Macron began by highlighting India’s remarkable digital transformation, citing how a Mumbai street vendor who couldn’t open a bank account ten years ago can now accept instant digital payments, illustrating India’s creation of digital infrastructure serving 1.4 billion people through the IndiaStack system.
The President emphasized that in the year since France and India co-hosted the AI Action Summit in Paris, the AI landscape has dramatically shifted with major announcements from the US and China, making AI a field of strategic competition. He argued that both France and India have chosen paths toward AI independence and strategic autonomy, with India focusing on small language models designed for smartphones while Europe invested in sovereign large language models like Mistral. Macron detailed significant investments in AI infrastructure, including France’s $109 billion commitment and Europe’s 200 billion euro investment, powered by France’s low-carbon nuclear energy.
He highlighted the importance of talent development, noting India’s 500,000 engineers and France’s growing AI startup ecosystem. The President announced several joint initiatives between France and India, including the Indo-French Institute for AI in Health and partnerships for language translation tools. Macron also addressed the need for child protection online, announcing France’s initiative to ban social networks for children under 15 and calling for international cooperation on this issue. He concluded by emphasizing that the future of AI belongs to those who combine innovation with responsibility, positioning the France-India partnership as a model for building a more inclusive and sustainable AI future.
Keypoints
Major Discussion Points:
– Digital sovereignty and AI independence: Macron emphasizes how both France and India have chosen paths toward technological independence rather than relying on hegemonic powers, with India developing sovereign small language models and France investing in European large language models like Mistral.
– India’s digital transformation success: The speech highlights India’s remarkable achievement in building digital infrastructure for 1.4 billion people, including digital identity systems, payment processing (20 billion transactions monthly), and health IDs, exemplified by the story of a Mumbai street vendor gaining digital access.
– Franco-Indian AI cooperation and partnerships: Macron outlines specific collaborative initiatives including the Indo-French Institute for AI in Health, translation tools for Indian languages, and the Coalition for Sustainable AI, demonstrating concrete bilateral cooperation.
– Child protection in the digital age: Both leaders advocate for protecting children from digital abuse and harmful online content, with France moving to ban social networks for children under 15 and seeking India’s partnership in this “coalition of the willing.”
– Inclusive and sustainable AI development: The discussion emphasizes making AI accessible to all populations, sustainable for the environment, and beneficial for developing regions, particularly Africa, while maintaining that innovation and responsibility are compatible.
Overall Purpose:
This appears to be President Macron’s keynote address at an AI Impact Summit hosted by India’s Prime Minister Modi. The goal is to strengthen Franco-Indian cooperation in AI development while promoting a vision of sovereign, inclusive, and responsible artificial intelligence that serves humanity rather than concentrating power among tech giants.
Overall Tone:
The tone is consistently optimistic, collaborative, and aspirational throughout. Macron maintains an enthusiastic and partnership-focused approach, celebrating India’s achievements while positioning France and India as natural allies in shaping AI’s future. The speech balances technical accomplishments with humanitarian values, and the tone remains upbeat and forward-looking from beginning to end, concluding with the Hindi phrase “Jai Ho!” to emphasize cultural respect and partnership.
Speakers
– Moderator: Role – Event moderator facilitating the discussion and introducing speakers
– Emmanuel Macron: Title – President of France, His Excellency; Role – Head of state delivering keynote address on AI cooperation and digital sovereignty
Additional speakers:
– Antonio Guterres: Title – His Excellency (likely UN Secretary-General based on context); Role – Delivered opening address before Macron’s speech
– Narendra Modi: Title – Prime Minister; Role – Host of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit, referenced as Mr. Prime Minister throughout Macron’s address
Full session report
French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a comprehensive keynote address at an Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, presenting a compelling vision for Franco-Indian cooperation in AI development while challenging the prevailing narratives of technological hegemony. Opening with “namaste” and referencing his 2024 state visit to India, Macron noted that while last year’s summit was called “action,” this year’s is called “impact,” though “the real name is simpler: AI together.” The speech evolved into a manifesto for an alternative approach to global AI development that prioritizes sovereignty, inclusion, and responsibility over pure scale and financial investment.
Digital Transformation as Civilizational Progress
Macron opened his substantive remarks with a striking illustration of India’s digital revolution, recounting how a Mumbai street vendor who could not open a bank account merely ten years ago due to lack of address, papers, or access, can now accept instant, free digital payments from anyone in the country through his mobile phone. This transformation, Macron argued, represents far more than technological advancement—it constitutes a “civilization story” that demonstrates how digital infrastructure can fundamentally reshape society. This narrative served as the foundation for his broader argument about India’s unprecedented achievement in building digital infrastructure for 1.4 billion people through the IndiaStack Open Interoperable Sovereign system, which includes comprehensive digital identity services, a payment system processing 20 billion transactions monthly, and a health infrastructure that has issued 500 million digital health IDs.
Strategic Competition and Complementary Approaches
The President contextualized the current AI landscape within the dramatic shifts that have occurred since France and India co-hosted the AI Action Summit in Paris the previous year. He noted how major announcements from the United States (Stargate) and China (DeepSeek) have transformed AI into a major field of strategic competition, with geopolitical and macroeconomic implications that extend far beyond technology. However, Macron forcefully argued that “hegemony from any quarter is not a fatality,” proposing that countries like France and India can forge an independent path that combines innovation with strategic autonomy.
Central to this argument was Macron’s analysis of the complementary approaches taken by India and France. India, he explained, made a deliberate sovereign choice to focus on small language models that are task-specific and designed to run on smartphones, while also deploying 38,000 GPUs at the cheapest rates to every startup in the country. France and Europe, conversely, invested in sovereign large language models, with companies like Mistral—founded in Paris just over two years ago—now valued at billions of euros and serving major clients across Europe and beyond. Macron characterized India’s approach as “granular and smart” while describing Europe’s as “sovereign and scaled,” emphasizing that both chose independence and both strategies were correct.
Infrastructure Investment and Energy Advantages
The speech detailed substantial infrastructure investments that underpin this vision of technological sovereignty. France announced significant AI investments, with billions of euros allocated for 2025, powered crucially by France’s decarbonated nuclear energy—a significant competitive advantage that Macron highlighted extensively. He noted that France exported 90 terawatt hours of low-carbon, controllable energy in the previous year, creating substantial opportunities for building faster and larger data centers. At the European level, 200 billion euros have been committed, including major supercomputing initiatives as part of the AI factory ambition shared with the Netherlands and Greece.
Human Capital and Innovation Ecosystems
Macron devoted considerable attention to talent development, recognizing it as fundamental to AI competitiveness. He praised India’s capacity to train hundreds of thousands of AI engineers annually, noting that with 500,000 engineers, India possesses the second-largest developer community globally. France, meanwhile, is doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers trained and now hosts more than 1,100 AI startups that are creating tens of thousands of jobs. The President highlighted specific French AI companies as unicorns and large-cap success stories.
In quantum computing, which Macron identified as the next frontier, France is pursuing a diversified strategy with investments in multiple different technologies through French companies. This approach aims to make Europe a quantum power, complemented by Amilab (Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs) from Yann LeCun for frontier research. Macron’s key insight here was that “the smartest AI is not the most expensive. It is the one built by the best people and for the right purpose.”
Concrete Bilateral Initiatives and Partnerships
The speech outlined several specific collaborative initiatives between France and India that demonstrate practical cooperation beyond rhetorical commitments. These include the launch of the Indo-French Institute for AI in Health, partnerships between French and Indian medical institutions including AIIMS Delhi, and collaborations with research institutes in Bangalore to transform hospital administration using AI. In language technology, the countries jointly launched initiatives for sustainable and sovereign AI access, announcing an open hardware tool for translation into Indian languages and dialects—addressing Macron’s assertion that “AI that doesn’t understand dialects is not AI for all.”
Environmental sustainability features prominently through the Coalition for Sustainable AI, which now has more than 200 supporters. France, India, and UNESCO launched an international challenge for sustainable AI models, reflecting the commitment to ensuring AI development serves environmental as well as social goals.
Child Protection as Civilizational Imperative
One of the most striking aspects of Macron’s address was his treatment of child protection in digital spaces, which he elevated from a regulatory issue to a fundamental civilizational concern. He argued forcefully that “there is no reason our children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world,” calling for platforms, governments, and regulators to work together to make the internet and social media safe spaces. France is embarking on a process to ban social networks for children under 15 years old, with support from several European countries including Greece and Spain. Macron explicitly called for India to join this “coalition of the willing” to protect children and teenagers, framing this as essential civilizational work rather than mere regulation.
Inclusive AI and Global Accessibility
The President emphasized that AI adoption must be genuinely inclusive, citing India’s revolutionary model of providing solutions for everyone in the country—from 200 million Indian farmers receiving services in their own dialects to travel advice for 400 million pilgrims, all running on India’s digital public infrastructure with open protocols and near-zero cost. This inclusive approach, Macron argued, is key to ensuring AI serves all segments of society rather than creating new forms of digital exclusion.
He extended this vision globally, announcing that AI and digitalization will be key themes for the Africa Forward Summit to be co-hosted with Kenya in Nairobi in May. Recognizing that the African continent has the youngest population that will double in 25 years, Macron argued that it deserves the best digital tools, particularly as global tensions increase the urgency of directing digital tools toward inclusive approaches.
Redefining International Cooperation
Macron challenged traditional competitive frameworks with his observation that “the old world said you compete or you lose. The new world says you connect or you fall behind.” He illustrated this through the example of India and the UAE’s joint AI partnership, which includes a supercomputing cluster, shared data centers, and an innovation corridor. In this model, India brings engineers and frugal models while the Gulf provides capital and infrastructure, enabling both to build faster than either could alone. France’s own partnership with the UAE, involving billions of euros in commitments for innovation and data centers, demonstrates what Macron termed “intelligent convergence” rather than dependency.
Vision for Global AI Governance
The President outlined how France intends to use its G7 presidency to foster this inclusive vision, while expressing confidence that India will pursue similar goals through its BRICS presidency. He emphasized that no country should be bound to serve merely as a market where foreign companies sell their models and download citizens’ data, asserting the fundamental right of all nations to technological sovereignty.
Macron argued that Europe represents a space for innovation and investment that is also safe, asserting that “safe spaces win in the long run,” contrary to criticisms that Europe is overly focused on regulation.
Conclusion and Future Trajectory
The speech concluded with a powerful reaffirmation of the central thesis: that the future of AI will be built by those who combine innovation with responsibility and technology with humanity. Macron positioned the France-India partnership as exemplifying this approach, suggesting that their collaboration offers a viable alternative to the binary choice between competing technological hegemonies.
The President’s closing remarks returned to his opening story about the Mumbai street vendor, noting that ten years ago, the world believed 1.4 billion people could not be brought into the digital economy, yet India proved them wrong. Today, while some argue that AI is a game only the biggest players can afford—requiring hundreds of billions to compete—Macron suggested that India, France, Europe, and their partners who believe in their values-based approach might offer a different path. While acknowledging that the “money race” remains important, he emphasized that outcomes and real value creation for populations matter even more, concluding with “Jai Ho!”
This comprehensive address represents more than diplomatic cooperation; it articulates a coherent alternative vision for AI development that prioritizes human dignity, national sovereignty, environmental sustainability, and inclusive access over pure technological dominance or financial scale. The France-India partnership emerges not merely as bilateral cooperation but as a model for how like-minded nations can shape the future of artificial intelligence in service of humanity rather than allowing technology to shape humanity according to the interests of a few dominant players.
Session transcript
Thank you, His Excellency Antonio Guterres, for your gracious address. Distinguished guests, it is my profound honor now to invite Honorable President of France, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, to address the August gathering. Let’s extend a warm and respectful welcome to His Excellency Emmanuel Macron.
Mr. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, heads of state and government, ministers, ambassadors, CEOs, ladies and gentlemen, namaste. Thank you very much for welcoming us in this magnificent city, in this magnificent country.
And it’s great to be back. after my 2024 state visit for this Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit hosted by you, Mr. Prime Minister.
And I want to start with a story. Ten years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account. No address, no papers, no access.
And today, the same vendor accepts payments on his phone, instantly. Instantly, for free, from anyone in the country. That is not just a tech story.
That is a civilization story. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. And India built something that no other country in the world has built. a digital identity for 1 .4 billion people.
A payment system that now processes 20 billion transactions every month. A health infrastructure that has issued 500 million digital health IDs. Here are the results.
They call it the IndiaStack Open Interoperable Sovereign. That, dear friends, is what this summit is about. We are clearly at the beginning of a huge acceleration, and you perfectly described it during your interventions.
But let me just recap during one year what happened. Last year, when France and India co -hosted the AI Action Summit in Paris, we set a global guiding principle for technologies that would transform our societies and our economies. We said then artificial intelligence will be an enabler for our humanity to innovate faster, to disrupt health care, energy, mobility, agriculture, public services for the good of mankind.
Both of us, we do believe in this revolution. One year ago, the landscape started to shift. The U .S.
announced Stargate. China launched DeepSeek. AI has become a major field of strategic competition and big tech got even bigger.
And a lot of them are in this room and still accelerated during the last year. AI, GPU, chip extensions are now directly translated in geopolitical and macroeconomic terms. Sometimes for the best, sometimes for the worst, I have to say.
But clearly one year ago, we demonstrated something else. Hegemony from any quarter is not a fatality. There is a path for innovation, independence, and strategic autonomy.
And this path, I am convinced, is one that countries like France and India must take together. And we have already achieved a lot. If we speak about models, you perfectly described the acceleration and the diversity of these models.
India made a deliberate sovereign choice, small language models, task -specific, designed to run on a smartphone. And India built the first government -funded AI and deployed 38 ,000 GPUs at the cheapest rates to every startup in the country, as you perfectly described, Mr. Minister.
We took a complementary path. We invested in the technology. We invested in European large language models, MIPAL, founded in Paris a little bit more than two years ago.
is now valued at 12 billion euros by a Dutch leader, an SML, German SAP, and French CMS -HM, serving over a million major clients all over the place in Europe and elsewhere. They announced last week a new investment in data center in Sweden and a new acquisition of Koyeb, building an actual European AI cloud. India chose granular and smart, and Europe chose sovereign and scaled.
But both chose independence, and both were right. And this is as well the cooperation with LLMs coming from the U .S. and through cooperation, but cooperation based on mutual respect and independence, which could pave the way for progress.
After the model of the infrastructure, you just described all the infrastructure made by a lot of large companies in India and in the United States, and all of us, we are building new infrastructure. computing capacity. One year ago in Paris, we announced $109 billion in AI investments, and we are delivering this project with a lot of data centers, 58 billion in 2025, powered by our decarbonated nuclear energy with a great asset, and this is very important indeed to have low carbon and available energy.
Last year, France exported 90 terawatt hour of low carbon energy and pilotable energy, which is a huge opportunity to build faster and bigger data centers. At the European level, 200 billion euros have been committed with the arrival of the Alice Recoque Exascale supercomputer, key component of our AI factory ambition shared with Netherlands and Greece, and we share the computer with them.
Models. Infrastructures. Talent.
India trains hundreds of thousands of AI engineers every year. With 500 ,000 engineers, India has the second largest developer community in the world. In France, we are doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers trained, and we have now more than 1 ,100 AI startups thriving in France, creating dozens of thousands of jobs.
Armattan AI partnering with Dassault, Gradium for voice AI, Poolside, Ash, Hugging Faith. I could quote the stories of these unicorns and large caps, and this is clearly one of our strengths. In quantum computing, the next frontier, France is not placing one bet.
We are placing four, four technologies, four French companies, Pascal, Pandela, Alison, Bob, Quably. And one ambition, to make Europe a quantum power, which is also the ambition of Amilab. advanced machine intelligence labs, from our dear Yann Lequin for frontier research.
The smartest AI is not the most expensive. It is the one built by the best people and for the right purpose. Models, infrastructure, talents, capital, and adoption.
This is where the Indian model is truly revolutionary, providing solutions for everyone in the country. From 200 million of Indian farmers in their own dialects to travel advice for 400 million of pilgrims. Our AI diagnostics for rural clinics, all running on India’s digital public infrastructure.
Open rails, near zero cost, adoption is key. And being inclusive is key. In Europe, our AI factories optimize energy grids, transform our economy, and build a more sustainable future.
We are the only country in the world that has the capacity to do this. health care administration, and we are proving you can build a competitive AI industry while protecting your citizens’ data. And opposite to what some misinformed friends have been saying, Europe is not blindly focused on regulation.
Europe is a space for innovation and investment, but it is a safe space. And safe spaces win in the long run. I’m sure of that.
Now, the point of this summit was not only to say, let’s do more. It was to say, let’s do better together. AI may be a powerful accelerator of productivity and a major shift for labor markets.
This is why access to AI for all is critical. France and India share a common vision, a sovereign AI used to protect our planet and to foster prosperity for all. In the health of our people, we must be able to do more.
We launched the Indofrench Institute for AI in Health, a partnership between Sorbonne Brain Institute and EMS Delhi, and the partnership between ASH and St. John’s Research Institute in Bangalore will use AI to transform hospital administration as well. In language, we jointly launched Current AI for sustainable and sovereign AI access, and this year we announced an open hardware tool for translation into Indian languages and dialects because AI that doesn’t understand dialects is not AI for all.
And this is why we do endorse this initiative for diversity in language. In sustainability, our Coalition for Sustainable AI now has more than 200 supporters. Today with India and UNESCO, we launched an international challenge for sustainability of sustainable AI models.
we call it action. This year in Delhi we call it impact but the real name is simpler AI together. AI and digitalization will be a key theme for the months to come and the key theme of the Africa Forward Summit we will cause with Kenya and Nairobi in May.
The continent, the African continent with the youngest population that will double in 25 years deserves the best digital tools and at the time when tensions are raising there is an increased sense of urgency to direct all our digital tools towards this inclusive approach and in order indeed to be strong here in India but to be strong as well on the African continent and let’s focus all together towards bridging racism dividing creating a new digital world.
Dividing racism destroying, sharing racism taking. France intends to use its G7 presidency to foster that vision. I know, Mr.
Prime Minister, that India will do the same through your BRICS presidency. No country is bound to serve only as a market where foreign companies sell their models and download their citizens’ data. No country.
One of our G7 priorities will be, as well, children’s protection against AI and digital abuse. You just mentioned it, Mr. Secretary -General.
There is no reason our children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world. Our platforms, governments and regulators should be working together to make Internet and social media a safe space. Thank you.
This is why, in France, we are embarking on a process to ban social networks for children. under 15 years old. And we are committed here in this journey with a lot of several European countries being present here today.
Greece, Spain. I know, Mr. Prime Minister, you will join this club.
And this is a great news that India will join such an approach in order to protect children and teenagers. And we stand ready to take all necessary actions to ensure that our young citizens are truly safe and wish to engage with all willing partners to make this vision happen for all. And this is a new coalition of willings in order to protect our children and teenagers.
Protecting our children is not regulation as well. It is civilization. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. The message I have come to convey is that we are determined to continue to shape the rules of the game and to do with our allies such as India because we believe in core shared values, science, rule of law, global balance, efficient multilateralism, innovation for the benefit of all.
Now is the time to channel our forces toward what works. Concrete action and solutions that make AI more sustainable, efficient, and accessible. Targeted funding to leverage talents and creativity.
Appropriate rules to prevent abuse and protect all our citizens. Strong partnerships that help build new AI solutions. More safe and more sustainable.
I want to thank all the governments and business leaders present in this room and engage in this journey. I know your goodwill and how your commitment in order to deliver this concrete results. We do believe in innovation, but we do believe in a better place, in a better world as well.
And I don’t believe once again it’s incompatible. And let me say one more thing about partnerships, because this is not a two -player game. Last week, India and the UAE announced a joint AI partnership, a supercomputing cluster, shared data centers, an innovation corridor.
And India brings the engineers and the frugal models, and the Gulf brings the capital and the infrastructure. And together, they build faster than either could alone. France knows this equation well.
With UAE, we engage. And they committed billions of euros for innovation and data centers in our country. And this partnership creates more value together.
This is not dependency. This is intelligent convergence between governments with companies, large caps, start -ups, and this is clearly this intelligent convergence which can provide results. The old world said you compete or you lose.
The new world says you connect or you fall behind. And I started with a story about a street vendor in Mumbai. Ten years ago, the world told India that 1 .4 billion people could not be brought into the digital economy.
India proved them wrong. Today some say that the digital economy is a big problem. Today AI is a game only the biggest can play.
That you need 400 billion dollars to be in the race. that nothing can exist between the two blocks, India, France, Europe, together with our partners, those who believe in our approach. Companies, governments, investors might have a different way.
The money race is important and we cannot discount it, but the outcomes and real value creation for our population is even more. The future of AI will be built by those who combine innovation and responsibility, technology with humanity. And India and France will help to shape this future together.
And the journey has just begun. Jai Ho! Thank you.
Emmanuel Macron
Speech speed
123 words per minute
Speech length
2131 words
Speech time
1032 seconds
Digital Transformation and Technological Sovereignty – India has built revolutionary digital infrastructure serving 1.4 billion people with digital identity, payment systems processing 20 billion monthly transactions, and 500 million digital health IDs
Explanation
Macron highlights India’s remarkable achievement in creating comprehensive digital infrastructure that serves its entire population. He emphasizes how this represents a transformation from exclusion to inclusion, using the example of a Mumbai street vendor who went from being unable to open a bank account to accepting digital payments instantly.
Evidence
Example of Mumbai street vendor who 10 years ago couldn’t open a bank account but now accepts payments on his phone instantly; India’s digital identity system for 1.4 billion people; payment system processing 20 billion transactions monthly; 500 million digital health IDs issued
Major discussion point
India’s digital infrastructure as a model for technological sovereignty
Topics
Information and communication technologies for development | The digital economy | Social and economic development
Digital Transformation and Technological Sovereignty – Both India and France have chosen paths toward technological independence – India with small language models and task-specific AI, France with European large language models like Mistral
Explanation
Macron argues that both countries have deliberately chosen sovereign approaches to AI development rather than relying on foreign technologies. He presents this as complementary strategies that both achieve independence while serving different needs and scales.
Evidence
India’s choice of small language models designed to run on smartphones; France’s investment in Mistral AI, now valued at 12 billion euros, serving over a million clients in Europe; Mistral’s recent investments in Swedish data centers and acquisition of Koyeb
Major discussion point
Different but complementary approaches to achieving technological sovereignty
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development
Digital Transformation and Technological Sovereignty – Countries should not be bound to serve only as markets for foreign companies to sell models and download citizens’ data
Explanation
Macron advocates for national digital sovereignty, arguing that countries should not be passive consumers of foreign technology but should develop their own capabilities. He emphasizes the importance of protecting citizen data and maintaining control over digital infrastructure.
Major discussion point
The need for digital sovereignty and data protection
Topics
Data governance | The enabling environment for digital development | Human rights and the ethical dimensions of the information society
AI Development Models and Strategic Competition – The AI landscape has shifted dramatically with major announcements from the US (Stargate) and China (DeepSeek), making AI a field of strategic competition
Explanation
Macron describes how AI has become a geopolitical battleground with major powers making significant investments and announcements. He notes that this competition has both positive and negative implications for global development.
Evidence
US announcement of Stargate project; China’s launch of DeepSeek; observation that big tech companies have gotten even bigger; AI and GPU chip extensions being translated into geopolitical and macroeconomic terms
Major discussion point
AI as a field of strategic geopolitical competition
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development
AI Development Models and Strategic Competition – India chose granular and smart AI solutions while Europe chose sovereign and scaled approaches, but both chose independence
Explanation
Macron presents the different AI development strategies of India and Europe as complementary rather than competing approaches. He emphasizes that despite different methodologies, both regions prioritized independence from foreign AI dominance.
Evidence
India’s focus on small language models and task-specific AI designed for smartphones; Europe’s investment in large language models like Mistral; both approaches achieving independence through different scales and focuses
Major discussion point
Complementary approaches to AI development that maintain sovereignty
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development
AI Development Models and Strategic Competition – The smartest AI is not the most expensive but the one built by the best people for the right purpose
Explanation
Macron challenges the notion that AI development is purely about financial investment, arguing instead that talent and purpose are more important factors. This supports his argument for why smaller countries can compete with tech giants.
Major discussion point
Quality and purpose over cost in AI development
Topics
Artificial intelligence | Capacity development
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – France announced $109 billion in AI investments with 58 billion in 2025, powered by decarbonated nuclear energy
Explanation
Macron outlines France’s significant financial commitment to AI development, emphasizing the advantage of clean nuclear energy for powering data centers. He positions this as a competitive advantage in sustainable AI development.
Evidence
$109 billion total AI investment announced; $58 billion committed for 2025; France exported 90 terawatt hours of low carbon energy; nuclear energy providing decarbonated power for data centers
Major discussion point
Massive investment in AI infrastructure with environmental sustainability
Topics
Artificial intelligence | Financial mechanisms | Environmental impacts
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – Europe has committed 200 billion euros with advanced supercomputing capabilities and AI factory ambitions
Explanation
Macron describes Europe’s collective investment in AI infrastructure, including advanced supercomputing facilities shared between countries. This represents a coordinated European approach to competing in AI development.
Evidence
200 billion euros committed at European level; Alice Recoque Exascale supercomputer; AI factory ambition shared with Netherlands and Greece
Major discussion point
European collective investment in AI infrastructure
Topics
Artificial intelligence | Financial mechanisms | The enabling environment for digital development
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – India has deployed 38,000 GPUs at the cheapest rates to every startup in the country
Explanation
Macron highlights India’s strategy of democratizing access to AI computing resources by making GPUs available to startups at low cost. This represents an inclusive approach to AI development that supports innovation across the ecosystem.
Evidence
38,000 GPUs deployed; available to every startup in the country at cheapest rates; government-funded AI initiative
Major discussion point
Democratizing access to AI computing resources
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development | Closing all digital divides
Talent Development and Innovation Ecosystem – India trains hundreds of thousands of AI engineers annually and has the second largest developer community globally with 500,000 engineers
Explanation
Macron emphasizes India’s massive human capital advantage in technology, positioning it as a global leader in producing AI talent. This represents a fundamental strength in the global AI competition.
Evidence
500,000 engineers making India the second largest developer community globally; hundreds of thousands of AI engineers trained annually
Major discussion point
India’s massive advantage in AI talent development
Topics
Capacity development | Artificial intelligence
Talent Development and Innovation Ecosystem – France is doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers trained and has over 1,100 AI startups creating thousands of jobs
Explanation
Macron outlines France’s efforts to rapidly expand its AI talent pool and startup ecosystem. He provides specific examples of successful French AI companies to demonstrate the vibrancy of the sector.
Evidence
Doubling of AI scientists and engineers being trained; over 1,100 AI startups in France; companies like Armattan AI, Gradium, Poolside, Ash, Hugging Face mentioned as examples; creation of dozens of thousands of jobs
Major discussion point
France’s growing AI talent and startup ecosystem
Topics
Capacity development | Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development
Talent Development and Innovation Ecosystem – France is investing in quantum computing with four different technologies and companies to make Europe a quantum power
Explanation
Macron describes France’s diversified approach to quantum computing, investing in multiple technologies rather than betting on a single approach. This represents preparation for the next frontier of computing technology.
Evidence
Four French quantum companies mentioned: Pascal, Pandela, Alison, Bob, Quably; Amilab (advanced machine intelligence labs) from Yann LeCun for frontier research
Major discussion point
Diversified investment in quantum computing technologies
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development | Capacity development
International Cooperation and Partnerships – France and India share a common vision for sovereign AI used to protect the planet and foster prosperity for all
Explanation
Macron emphasizes the alignment between French and Indian approaches to AI development, focusing on sovereignty while serving broader humanitarian and environmental goals. This forms the basis for their strategic partnership.
Evidence
Launch of Indo-French Institute for AI in Health; partnership between Sorbonne Brain Institute and AIIMS Delhi; ASH and St. John’s Research Institute partnership in Bangalore; Current AI initiative for sustainable and sovereign AI access
Major discussion point
Shared vision for sovereign and beneficial AI development
Topics
Artificial intelligence | International cooperation | Social and economic development
International Cooperation and Partnerships – The future requires intelligent convergence between governments, companies, and startups rather than dependency
Explanation
Macron advocates for a collaborative approach that avoids dependency relationships while enabling mutual benefit. He argues that strategic partnerships create more value than either competition or dependence.
Evidence
India-UAE partnership example with joint AI initiatives, supercomputing clusters, shared data centers, and innovation corridor; UAE’s billions of euros investment in French innovation and data centers
Major discussion point
Intelligent convergence as an alternative to dependency or pure competition
Topics
The enabling environment for digital development | Financial mechanisms
International Cooperation and Partnerships – Partnerships like India-UAE joint AI initiatives demonstrate that connecting and collaborating leads to faster progress than competing alone
Explanation
Macron uses the India-UAE partnership as an example of how countries can combine their respective strengths to achieve faster progress than they could individually. He contrasts this collaborative approach with pure competition.
Evidence
India-UAE joint AI partnership including supercomputing cluster, shared data centers, innovation corridor; India providing engineers and frugal models while UAE provides capital and infrastructure
Major discussion point
Collaborative partnerships accelerating AI development
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development | Financial mechanisms
Child Protection and Digital Safety – There is no reason children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world
Explanation
Macron argues for consistent standards between online and offline environments, particularly regarding child protection. He emphasizes that digital spaces should not be exempt from the same protections that exist in physical spaces.
Major discussion point
Consistent protection standards for children online and offline
Topics
Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs | Human rights and the ethical dimensions of the information society
Child Protection and Digital Safety – France is embarking on a process to ban social networks for children under 15 years old, with support from other European countries
Explanation
Macron announces France’s specific policy initiative to restrict social media access for young children, positioning it as part of a broader European movement. He calls for India to join this coalition of countries protecting children online.
Evidence
France’s process to ban social networks for children under 15; support from European countries including Greece and Spain; invitation for India to join this approach
Major discussion point
Policy initiatives to restrict children’s access to social media
Topics
Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs | Human rights and the ethical dimensions of the information society
Child Protection and Digital Safety – Protecting children from digital abuse is not just regulation but a matter of civilization
Explanation
Macron frames child protection online as a fundamental civilizational value rather than mere regulatory oversight. This elevates the issue beyond technical policy to core societal values and responsibilities.
Major discussion point
Child protection as a civilizational imperative
Topics
Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs | Human rights and the ethical dimensions of the information society
Inclusive AI and Accessibility – AI adoption must be inclusive, serving everyone from 200 million Indian farmers in their dialects to 400 million pilgrims
Explanation
Macron emphasizes that AI development must serve all segments of society, including rural and traditional communities. He uses India’s diverse population as an example of how AI can be made accessible across different groups and languages.
Evidence
AI solutions for 200 million Indian farmers in their own dialects; travel advice for 400 million pilgrims; AI diagnostics for rural clinics; all running on India’s digital public infrastructure
Major discussion point
AI serving diverse populations including rural and traditional communities
Topics
Closing all digital divides | Artificial intelligence | Social and economic development
Inclusive AI and Accessibility – Access to AI for all is critical, and AI that doesn’t understand dialects is not AI for all
Explanation
Macron argues that true AI accessibility requires linguistic diversity and cultural understanding. He emphasizes that AI systems must be able to work with local languages and dialects to be truly inclusive.
Evidence
Open hardware tool for translation into Indian languages and dialects; endorsement of initiative for diversity in language
Major discussion point
Linguistic diversity as essential for AI accessibility
Topics
Closing all digital divides | Artificial intelligence
Inclusive AI and Accessibility – The focus should be on real value creation for populations rather than just the money race
Explanation
Macron argues that while financial investment in AI is important, the ultimate measure of success should be the actual benefits delivered to people. He suggests that outcomes and value creation matter more than just the scale of investment.
Major discussion point
Prioritizing real value creation over financial competition
Topics
Artificial intelligence | Social and economic development
Moderator
Speech speed
121 words per minute
Speech length
45 words
Speech time
22 seconds
Summit Introduction and Welcome – Formal introduction of President Emmanuel Macron to address the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit
Explanation
The moderator provides a formal introduction and welcome for President Macron to address the AI summit. This establishes the context and setting for the discussion on artificial intelligence.
Evidence
Reference to previous address by Antonio Guterres; formal titles and protocol; mention of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit hosted by Prime Minister Modi
Major discussion point
Formal opening and context setting for AI summit
Topics
Artificial intelligence
Agreements
Agreement points
Technological sovereignty and independence from foreign AI dominance
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Both India and France have chosen paths toward technological independence – India with small language models and task-specific AI, France with European large language models like Mistral
Countries should not be bound to serve only as markets for foreign companies to sell models and download citizens’ data
Summary
Macron emphasizes that both India and France have deliberately chosen sovereign approaches to AI development, with complementary strategies that achieve independence while serving different needs and scales
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development | Data governance
AI development should prioritize purpose and talent over pure financial investment
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
The smartest AI is not the most expensive but the one built by the best people for the right purpose
The focus should be on real value creation for populations rather than just the money race
Summary
Macron argues that quality, purpose, and actual benefits to people should take precedence over the scale of financial investment in AI development
Topics
Artificial intelligence | Social and economic development
AI must be inclusive and accessible to all segments of society
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
AI adoption must be inclusive, serving everyone from 200 million Indian farmers in their dialects to 400 million pilgrims
Access to AI for all is critical, and AI that doesn’t understand dialects is not AI for all
Summary
Macron emphasizes that AI development must serve diverse populations including rural and traditional communities, with linguistic diversity being essential for true accessibility
Topics
Closing all digital divides | Artificial intelligence | Social and economic development
International cooperation and partnerships are essential for AI development
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
France and India share a common vision for sovereign AI used to protect the planet and foster prosperity for all
The future requires intelligent convergence between governments, companies, and startups rather than dependency
Partnerships like India-UAE joint AI initiatives demonstrate that connecting and collaborating leads to faster progress than competing alone
Summary
Macron advocates for collaborative approaches that combine respective strengths while avoiding dependency relationships, emphasizing that strategic partnerships create more value than pure competition
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development | Financial mechanisms
Child protection in digital spaces requires urgent action
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
There is no reason children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world
France is embarking on a process to ban social networks for children under 15 years old, with support from other European countries
Protecting children from digital abuse is not just regulation but a matter of civilization
Summary
Macron frames child protection online as a fundamental civilizational value, advocating for consistent protection standards between online and offline environments
Topics
Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs | Human rights and the ethical dimensions of the information society
Similar viewpoints
Recognition and praise for India’s approach to democratizing digital infrastructure and AI resources, making them accessible to all citizens and startups
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Digital Transformation and Technological Sovereignty – India has built revolutionary digital infrastructure serving 1.4 billion people with digital identity, payment systems processing 20 billion monthly transactions, and 500 million digital health IDs
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – India has deployed 38,000 GPUs at the cheapest rates to every startup in the country
Topics
Information and communication technologies for development | The digital economy | The enabling environment for digital development
Commitment to massive investment in AI infrastructure with emphasis on environmental sustainability through clean energy
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – France announced $109 billion in AI investments with 58 billion in 2025, powered by decarbonated nuclear energy
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – Europe has committed 200 billion euros with advanced supercomputing capabilities and AI factory ambitions
Topics
Artificial intelligence | Financial mechanisms | Environmental impacts
Recognition of the critical importance of human capital and talent development in AI competition, with both countries investing heavily in education and training
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Talent Development and Innovation Ecosystem – India trains hundreds of thousands of AI engineers annually and has the second largest developer community globally with 500,000 engineers
Talent Development and Innovation Ecosystem – France is doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers trained and has over 1,100 AI startups creating thousands of jobs
Topics
Capacity development | Artificial intelligence
Unexpected consensus
Complementary rather than competitive AI development strategies
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
India chose granular and smart AI solutions while Europe chose sovereign and scaled approaches, but both chose independence
Explanation
Rather than viewing different AI development approaches as competing strategies, Macron frames India’s focus on small, task-specific models and Europe’s focus on large language models as complementary paths that both achieve the goal of technological independence
Topics
Artificial intelligence | The enabling environment for digital development
Civilizational framing of child protection in digital spaces
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Protecting children from digital abuse is not just regulation but a matter of civilization
Explanation
Macron elevates child protection online from a technical policy issue to a fundamental civilizational value, suggesting this transcends typical regulatory debates and represents core societal responsibilities
Topics
Building confidence and security in the use of ICTs | Human rights and the ethical dimensions of the information society
Overall assessment
Summary
The transcript reveals strong consensus around technological sovereignty, inclusive AI development, international cooperation, and child protection in digital spaces. Macron consistently emphasizes that AI development should serve humanity while maintaining independence from foreign dominance.
Consensus level
High level of internal consistency in Macron’s arguments, with clear alignment between France and India’s approaches to AI development. The implications suggest a coordinated strategy between like-minded nations to create an alternative to pure US-China AI competition, focusing on values-based, inclusive, and sovereign AI development that serves all segments of society while protecting vulnerable populations.
Differences
Different viewpoints
Unexpected differences
Overall assessment
Summary
No disagreements identified in the provided transcript and arguments
Disagreement level
The transcript contains only President Emmanuel Macron’s speech at the AI Impact Summit, with a brief introduction by the moderator. Since only one substantive speaker is present, there are no disagreements, partial agreements, or conflicting viewpoints expressed. Macron’s speech is largely celebratory of India-France cooperation and presents a unified vision for AI development, technological sovereignty, and international collaboration. The absence of other speakers or opposing viewpoints means this is essentially a monologue rather than a debate or discussion with potential for disagreement.
Partial agreements
Partial agreements
Similar viewpoints
Recognition and praise for India’s approach to democratizing digital infrastructure and AI resources, making them accessible to all citizens and startups
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Digital Transformation and Technological Sovereignty – India has built revolutionary digital infrastructure serving 1.4 billion people with digital identity, payment systems processing 20 billion monthly transactions, and 500 million digital health IDs
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – India has deployed 38,000 GPUs at the cheapest rates to every startup in the country
Topics
Information and communication technologies for development | The digital economy | The enabling environment for digital development
Commitment to massive investment in AI infrastructure with emphasis on environmental sustainability through clean energy
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – France announced $109 billion in AI investments with 58 billion in 2025, powered by decarbonated nuclear energy
Infrastructure and Investment in AI – Europe has committed 200 billion euros with advanced supercomputing capabilities and AI factory ambitions
Topics
Artificial intelligence | Financial mechanisms | Environmental impacts
Recognition of the critical importance of human capital and talent development in AI competition, with both countries investing heavily in education and training
Speakers
– Emmanuel Macron
Arguments
Talent Development and Innovation Ecosystem – India trains hundreds of thousands of AI engineers annually and has the second largest developer community globally with 500,000 engineers
Talent Development and Innovation Ecosystem – France is doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers trained and has over 1,100 AI startups creating thousands of jobs
Topics
Capacity development | Artificial intelligence
Takeaways
Key takeaways
India has successfully built revolutionary digital infrastructure serving 1.4 billion people, demonstrating that technological sovereignty is achievable for large populations
Both India and France have chosen independent paths in AI development – India focusing on granular, task-specific models while France pursues sovereign, scaled European solutions
AI has become a major field of strategic competition globally, but hegemony from any quarter is not inevitable – there are alternative paths for innovation and independence
The future of AI will be built by those who combine innovation with responsibility, and technology with humanity
International cooperation through ‘intelligent convergence’ between governments, companies, and startups creates more value than competition alone
AI adoption must be inclusive and accessible to all, including support for local languages and dialects
Child protection in digital spaces is a civilizational imperative, not just a regulatory issue
Countries should not be limited to serving as markets for foreign AI companies but should develop their own sovereign capabilities
Resolutions and action items
Launch of the Indo-French Institute for AI in Health partnership between Sorbonne Brain Institute and AIIMS Delhi
Joint launch of Current AI for sustainable and sovereign AI access
Introduction of an open hardware tool for translation into Indian languages and dialects
Launch of an international challenge for sustainable AI models with India and UNESCO
France to use its G7 presidency to foster inclusive AI vision and children’s protection against AI abuse
India to use its BRICS presidency to promote similar inclusive AI approaches
France proceeding with banning social networks for children under 15 years old
Formation of a ‘coalition of willings’ to protect children and teenagers online
Africa Forward Summit to be co-hosted with Kenya in Nairobi in May focusing on AI and digitalization
Unresolved issues
Specific implementation mechanisms for the proposed children’s social media restrictions
Detailed framework for how the Coalition for Sustainable AI will operate with its 200+ supporters
Concrete measures for ensuring data protection while maintaining AI innovation competitiveness
Specific funding mechanisms and timelines for the various announced partnerships and initiatives
How to balance the need for large-scale AI investments (mentioned $400 billion requirement) with more accessible, frugal innovation models
Suggested compromises
Cooperation with US and other AI leaders based on ‘mutual respect and independence’ rather than dependency
Balancing innovation with appropriate regulation – creating ‘safe spaces’ for AI development that protect citizens while fostering innovation
Combining different AI development approaches – India’s granular/smart models with Europe’s sovereign/scaled solutions
Intelligent convergence between different stakeholders (governments, large companies, startups) rather than pure competition
Multi-partner collaborations like the India-UAE-France model that leverages different strengths (engineering talent, capital, infrastructure)
Thought provoking comments
Ten years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account. No address, no papers, no access. And today, the same vendor accepts payments on his phone, instantly. Instantly, for free, from anyone in the country. That is not just a tech story. That is a civilization story.
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Reason
This comment reframes technological advancement from a purely technical achievement to a civilizational transformation. It elevates the discussion beyond mere innovation metrics to consider the profound social impact of digital inclusion, making the abstract concept of digital transformation tangible through a human story.
Impact
This opening story sets the entire tone of the speech, establishing that AI and digital technology should be viewed through the lens of human empowerment rather than just technological capability. It provides the philosophical foundation for all subsequent arguments about sovereignty, inclusion, and responsible AI development.
Hegemony from any quarter is not a fatality. There is a path for innovation, independence, and strategic autonomy. And this path, I am convinced, is one that countries like France and India must take together.
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Reason
This statement directly challenges the prevailing narrative that AI development is dominated by a few tech giants or superpowers. It introduces the concept of a ‘third way’ that combines innovation with sovereignty, suggesting that smaller players can still maintain agency in the AI revolution.
Impact
This comment shifts the discussion from accepting technological dependence to actively pursuing strategic autonomy. It establishes the central thesis of the speech – that alternative models of AI development are not only possible but necessary, setting up the framework for discussing India-France cooperation as a counterbalance to existing hegemonies.
The smartest AI is not the most expensive. It is the one built by the best people and for the right purpose.
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Reason
This insight challenges the prevailing assumption that AI superiority is determined by computational power and financial investment. It redefines ‘smart’ AI in terms of human-centered design and purposeful application rather than raw capability or cost.
Impact
This comment provides intellectual justification for the alternative AI development models being pursued by India and France. It validates approaches like India’s small language models and task-specific solutions, arguing that effectiveness and purpose matter more than scale and expense.
No country is bound to serve only as a market where foreign companies sell their models and download their citizens’ data. No country.
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Reason
This statement is a powerful assertion of digital sovereignty that challenges the current global AI ecosystem where many countries are passive consumers rather than active developers. It frames data sovereignty and technological independence as fundamental rights rather than luxuries.
Impact
This comment introduces a more assertive tone about digital colonialism and data sovereignty. It expands the discussion beyond technical cooperation to address fundamental questions about national autonomy in the digital age, making the case for why countries need indigenous AI capabilities.
Protecting our children is not regulation as well. It is civilization.
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Reason
This reframes child protection in digital spaces from a regulatory burden to a civilizational imperative. It elevates the discussion above typical business-versus-regulation debates to fundamental questions about what kind of society we want to build.
Impact
This comment introduces a moral dimension to AI governance that transcends economic and technical considerations. It positions child protection as a unifying principle that can bring together different countries and stakeholders, regardless of their other differences on AI policy.
The old world said you compete or you lose. The new world says you connect or you fall behind.
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Reason
This insight captures a fundamental shift in how international relations and technological development work in the AI era. It suggests that collaboration and interconnection are becoming more important than traditional competition, representing a paradigm shift in geopolitical thinking.
Impact
This comment provides the philosophical capstone to the entire speech, justifying why partnerships like India-France make strategic sense. It reframes the entire discussion from zero-sum competition to positive-sum collaboration, suggesting a new model for international cooperation in the digital age.
Overall assessment
These key comments collectively transform what could have been a standard diplomatic speech about AI cooperation into a manifesto for an alternative vision of technological development. Macron uses these insights to build a compelling narrative arc: starting with the human impact of technology (the Mumbai vendor story), establishing the possibility of alternatives to tech hegemony, redefining what constitutes ‘smart’ AI, asserting the right to digital sovereignty, introducing moral imperatives around child protection, and concluding with a new paradigm for international cooperation. Each comment builds upon the previous ones to create a coherent argument for why countries like India and France should pursue independent, human-centered AI development paths. The speech successfully elevates the discussion from technical specifications and economic metrics to civilizational values and geopolitical strategy, making the case that AI development is ultimately about what kind of world we want to build rather than just what kind of technology we can create.
Follow-up questions
How can AI diagnostics be effectively implemented and scaled in rural clinics across different countries?
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Explanation
Macron mentioned AI diagnostics for rural clinics as part of India’s revolutionary model, but the specific implementation challenges and scalability across different healthcare systems requires further research
What are the specific mechanisms and effectiveness of protecting children under 15 from social media and AI-related digital abuse?
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Explanation
Macron announced France’s process to ban social networks for children under 15 and called for international cooperation, but the practical implementation and measurement of effectiveness needs further investigation
How can the sustainability of AI models be measured and improved through the international challenge launched with India and UNESCO?
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Explanation
Macron mentioned launching an international challenge for sustainable AI models but the specific criteria, metrics, and evaluation methods for sustainability require further research
What are the optimal strategies for developing open hardware tools for translation into diverse Indian languages and dialects?
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Explanation
Macron announced an open hardware tool for translation into Indian languages and dialects, but the technical specifications and linguistic challenges need further exploration
How can the India-UAE AI partnership model be replicated or adapted for other international collaborations?
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Explanation
Macron highlighted the India-UAE partnership as an example of intelligent convergence, but the framework for replicating this model with other countries requires further study
What are the specific outcomes and real value creation metrics for AI implementation in different populations?
Speaker
Emmanuel Macron
Explanation
Macron emphasized that outcomes and real value creation for populations is more important than just financial investment, but specific measurement frameworks and comparative studies are needed
Disclaimer: This is not an official session record. DiploAI generates these resources from audiovisual recordings, and they are presented as-is, including potential errors. Due to logistical challenges, such as discrepancies in audio/video or transcripts, names may be misspelled. We strive for accuracy to the best of our ability.
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