French Nobel laureate lauds French-Saudi cooperation in the age of AI

Paris — Nobel laureate Philippe Aghion this week set out a case for deepened French‑Saudi cooperation in artificial intelligence, arguing that France’s scientific talent and Saudi Arabia’s capital and industrial momentum could together finance a new generation of innovations and spur structural reforms. Aghion, a professor at the Collège de France and the London School of Economics and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, said the partnership could underpin a European AI initiative comparable to the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, with possible participation from other European countries and Saudi funding.

"France possesses the talent, technology and know‑how; Saudi Arabia possesses the capital, investment capacity and industrial momentum," Aghion said, adding plainly: "Saudi Arabia has the funds; France has the know‑how."

Context and key details

Aghion frames the complementarity in concrete terms. He points to France’s strengths in mathematics, computer science and engineering and specific industrial expertise in aerospace, defense, nuclear energy, rail and luxury goods. He highlighted French capabilities in certain AI subfields, notably image recognition.

• Constraints: Aghion warned that France’s "budgetary situation and the level of debt severely limit France’s investment capacity, particularly in disruptive innovations," and that "rising interest rates further exacerbate this constraint."
• Strategic focus: He identified AI as a priority because it can "automate the production of goods, services, and even ideas" but requires vast amounts of data and "enormous computing power, which is particularly costly."
• Institutional ambition: Aghion proposed that France "be at the heart of a European initiative comparable to the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency," potentially funded in part by Saudi capital and involving other European partners.
• Values and markets: He urged France to champion a "more ethical AI that is more respectful of individuals, property rights, freedoms and democracy," arguing there is a global market for such "trustworthy AI."
• Reciprocity: Beyond finance, Aghion said Saudi investments should not simply inject capital into the status quo but should "support and accelerate structural reforms in education, universities, the government, industrial policy, venture capital and governance."

Aghion also outlined tangible exchanges beyond investment: French institutions could train Saudi students at top schools, transfer technology in mathematics, engineering and computer science, and share expertise in transportation and industrial systems. In return, Saudi Arabia could contribute funding, industrial experience and "digital dynamism" to joint projects.

Outlook

For Aghion, the partnership is both pragmatic and political. He argued that linking investment to reform could make France more "business‑ and market‑friendly" and that the prospect of broad economic renewal could help secure public support for necessary changes. If implemented, the Franco‑Saudi collaboration he envisions would aim to produce AI products and services aligned with Western democratic values and to make Europe a credible third pole alongside the US and China — provided the funding, governance changes and technical cooperation he details can be realized.