The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit, held at the Grand Palais in Paris on February 10–11, 2025, brought together world leaders, tech executives, academics, and civil society representatives to shape the future of AI policy, governance, and innovation. Representing ADAPT, Professor John Kelleher, Director of the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre, and Dr. Abeba Birhane, head of the AI Accountability Lab at ADAPT, played key roles in the discussions, reinforcing ADAPT’s leadership in ethical AI development.
The summit followed an earlier scientific conference at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris) on February 6–7, where Nobel laureates and leading AI researchers presented their latest findings. These discussions set the stage for the main summit, where attendees debated AI’s impact on science, economics, and society.
Throughout the event, Prof Kelleher contributed to high-level discussions on AI governance, sustainability, and innovation, advocating for human-centric AI systems that enhance trust and transparency. He highlighted ADAPT’s expertise in natural language processing, data governance, and responsible AI adoption, positioning Dublin as a key player in Europe’s AI ecosystem.
Dr Abeba Birhane took part in critical discussions on AI accountability and bias, emphasizing the risks of scaling AI without ethical oversight. She challenged the dominant AI narratives, urging policymakers and industry leaders to prioritize AI systems that serve public needs rather than purely commercial interests. Her advocacy aligned with broader concerns about algorithmic transparency, data ethics, and the societal risks of unchecked AI deployment.
Dr Birhane also participated in a live podcast recording titled “Defying Datafication”, where she joined other influential women in AI policy to discuss the social and ethical challenges of AI adoption.
The summit featured key panels that addressed AI’s impact on employment, cybersecurity, information integrity, and competitive AI ecosystems. Guillaume Faury of Airbus, Christy Hoffman of UNI GLOBAL, Denis Machuel of Adecco Group, Brad Smith of Microsoft, and Lisa Su of AMD were among the notable speakers.
Workshops explored AI applications in health, open-source safety, and linguistic diversity. The final day featured a summit of Heads of State, where global policymakers discussed common actions to steer AI development in alignment with ethical standards and societal priorities. A major outcome of the summit was the signing of a global AI declaration on inclusive and sustainable AI by 61 nations, including France, China, and India. However, the United States and the United Kingdom did not sign, citing concerns over regulatory approaches.
The AI Action Summit fostered global collaboration on AI governance, sustainability, and innovation, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in shaping the future of AI. The recording of the AI Action Summit is available to watch online.
