France is gearing up to build Europe’s most powerful classified supercomputer for defense AI, as announced by Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu at the Eurosatory defense show in Paris. This ambitious project aims to position France at the forefront of artificial intelligence for military applications.
The new supercomputer will be available not only to the Armed Forces but also to the Higher Education Ministry and other government departments. Additionally, French defense firms will be able to run AI solutions in a secure environment. While Lecornu did not disclose specific details about the supercomputer’s capacity, the project is slated for completion in 2025.
In March, France announced the reallocation of €2 billion from the 2024-2030 defense budget to bolster AI development. Lecornu emphasized the importance of AI in distinguishing between leading nations and those falling behind. “The challenge for the French team is to stand out in this field,” he said. “When it comes to military AI, we’ll be the European power that’s best prepared, devoting the most resources to it.”
Lecornu highlighted existing AI applications within the French military, such as the Caesar howitzer, which uses AI for target acquisition via drones—a capability refined from Ukrainian experiences against Russia. The French Air Force also incorporates AI in pilot training programs.
France aims to develop practical, combat-ready AI, leveraging its operational military experience
France Armed Forces Minister / Sébastien Lecornu
Lecornu mentioned that the ministry will adopt a model of capacity sharing with civilian applications similar to that used by the French Atomic Energy Commission in the 1960s. In March, the Armed Forces Ministry announced the formation of a ministerial agency for artificial intelligence in defense, known by its French acronym Amiad.
“Artificial intelligence is a revolution, comparable in many respects to the atom’s impact in the aftermath of World War II,” Lecornu said. He underscored the necessity of running AI on secure, classified networks to maintain confidentiality and security.
France is not alone in prioritizing military AI. The U.S. Department of Defense’s AI spending nearly tripled to $557 million in the year ending August 2023, according to a Brookings Institution analysis published in March.
This initiative positions France as a leader in defense AI, aiming to significantly enhance its military capabilities and maintain a strategic edge in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
