France has 35 "ready-to-use" data center sites, says minister

Thirty-five sites in France are "ready-to-use" to host data centers for artificial intelligence, a technology that consumes a lot of data and energy, the French Minister for Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Economy announced at the end of an interministerial committee on the subject chaired by France Prime Minister.

Global experts gather in Paris on Thursday and Friday to debate threats from artificial intelligence (AI), ahead of a summit of world leaders on the fast-moving technology.

Thousands are expected for the event aiming to find common ground on a technology that has upset many business sectors in less than two years -- as well as to keep France and Europe on the map as credible contenders in the AI race. Paris' ambitions also stretch to stoking citizens' interest in real-world uses of AI, taking stock of global governance of the technology and promoting ethical, accessible and frugal options.