France and UK to strengthen collaboration in AI and other technologies

France and the UK have announced plans to ‘strengthen links in the tech sector and artificial intelligence’ (AI). The two countries intend to organise a digital conference (or digital colloque) in 2018, to bring together their leading tech sectors and ‘foster cross-Channel co-operation between academics, industry and government’. The conference, which will focus on fast-developing technologies such as AI, would also bring into the discussion issues such as data, cybersecurity, digital government, and digital skills. The announcement was made following a meeting between the UK’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Matt Hancock, and France’s Ministry of Culture, Françoise Nyssen, held in the context of the UK France Summit. The planned digital conference was also mentioned in the communiqué issued by UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron at the end of the summit. The communiqué also outlines the commitment and support of the two countries for the principle of net neutrality, ‘which promotes a free and open Internet’.