Cedric or Against “Zero Migration” in the Name of Sovereignty…

Minister of State for Digital Cedric O on Friday called against “zero immigration”, in particular to keep France in the global race for technological innovation.

“I have noticed that there is a temptation for some to go towards zero immigration,” Cedric O said on the sidelines of the opening of IBM’s Artificial Intelligence Research Center on the Saclay Plateau, the mecca of research and technology in Ile dee. France.

“But the lack of immigration is an attack on France’s economic and technological sovereignty,” the foreign minister added, taking the example of foreign students in particular.

“We need (…) more foreign students in France, to stay and create value in France,” he said.

He also said, “If you look at the largest American tech companies, you will find that a large portion of them are run by recent immigrants.”

IBM’s Joint Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence, Intelligent Automation, and Software Development currently employs approximately 200 people and can accommodate up to 350 people.

About thirty foreigners work there, representing ten different nationalities, according to Harley Davis, who heads IBM’s AI research in France.

Researchers at the center are working on innovative projects in collaboration with European clients.

Among those presented on Friday, there was in particular a research project on the possibility of explaining artificial intelligence algorithms, which is a major topic for professionals today.

IBM is leading the project with Université Paris-Saclay, in particular with STET, a French interbank payment platform that seeks to improve fraud detection.

Cédric O welcomed the investments made in France by large technology groups in France such as IBM, believing that they increased France’s attractiveness.

“In a highly internationalized world, it is the strongest who attract the masses,” he said.