DFKI and Inria are further expanding their cooperation.
The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the French research institute Inria are further expanding their collaboration and establishing a joint German-French AI research center. A corresponding letter of intent was signed today on the sidelines of the Vivatech technology fair in Paris by DFKI CEO Antonio Krüger and Inria CEO Bruno Sportisse, in the presence of Federal Minister of Research Dorothee Bär and French Minister of Research Philippe Baptiste.
The partnership between DFKI and Inria dates back to joint research projects at the Saarbrücken and Nancy locations and has been continuously deepened since 2020. The new center aims to further strengthen joint research, technology transfer, startup support, and collaboration with companies. The goal is to expand Europe's expertise in artificial intelligence and to strengthen Europe's technological sovereignty.
The Saarland plays an important role in this: From Saarbrücken, the German-French cooperation in the AI field has been co-shaping for years. Cross-border activities in the Greater Region are coordinated via the European AI network CAIRNE as well as through close collaboration with regional and supraregional partners.
Coal and steel were the foundation of European unity. Artificial intelligence can become a new joint future project for Europe. The Franco-German cooperation strengthens Europe's technological sovereignty in a key technology of the 21st century. The fact that this partnership has grown out of the collaboration between Saarbrücken and Nancy highlights the special role of our region as a bridge between Germany and France.
The combination of excellent research, international collaboration, and economic application is crucial for Europe to remain competitive in artificial intelligence. The new AI center is a strong signal of German-French innovative strength and the importance of Saarland as a European hub for science and technology.
