PARIS-- February 10, 2023 -- Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has become a patron of the Hi!

PARIS (Paris Artificial Intelligence for Society) research center built on an alliance between France’s top business school, HEC Paris, and the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris), that brings together five prestigious French engineering schools: École polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis.

This center of excellence, based at the Paris-Saclay University campus, aims to become a European Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science champion, to compete with the best institutions in the world in terms of research, teaching and innovation and urgently meet the training, talent and R&D needs of both French and European economies. This center will also establish closer ties between the academic world, entrepreneurial ecosystems and business leaders.

Strong ambitions from now until 2025

Schneider Electric’s patronage of Hi! PARIS will support the center’s future development and use AI to meet its ambitions related to the energy transition. Between now and 2025, the center will extend its research, teaching, and innovation capacity, develop joint programs at Master's and Doctorate levels, and set out the infrastructure needed to accelerate innovation and research, code optimization and open source accessibility, with the best computing tools and resources.

In total, 30 of the best international teachers will be recruited to build a first-class scientific community, double the number of Master's and Ph.D. students, scale each school’s incubators and, as such, economically stimulate the sector.

A highly strategic sector for Schneider Electric

The center is focused on the same core issues as Schneider Electric, which recently boosted its AI strategy for the energy transition by launching a global AI hub. Every day, Schneider Electric helps customers collect fundamental data that drives decision-making, agility and decarbonization across entire value chains. It’s in this context that Schneider Electric plans to recruit over 800 experts across three global hubs in Paris/Grenoble, Boston and Bangalore by the end of 2025.

“At Schneider Electric, we believe that AI and data management can transform entire industries. To achieve this, we need a clear and bold strategy to develop the talent of tomorrow”, explains Philippe Rambach, Chief AI Officer at Schneider Electric. “Research in these areas is highly strategic and Schneider is pleased to contribute to promoting it through this prestigious partnership with Hi! PARIS. This center of excellence will allow us to create innovative and unique projects on a large scale, putting France and Europe in a great position to deal with the challenges facing the industries of tomorrow.”

The alliance of the IP Paris and HEC Paris schools already boasts many strengths: world-class students and teachers, multidisciplinary excellence and a growing ecosystem to nurture innovation and startups. Hi! PARIS will provide a wide field of research and teaching, offering an innovative understanding of the major technological, economic and societal changes that will determine the global challenges of tomorrow.

“This association with Schneider Electric, a global provider of digital energy and automation solutions contributing to sustainable development, is a perfect match for the strategy of our Hi! PARIS centre. More than two years after its launch, the centre's multiple advancements have built a world leader in responsible and ethical artificial intelligence and data science. Thanks to the support of our seven patrons, I have great confidence in our capacity to contribute to the digital sovereignty of France and Europe. This, in turn, will ensure that companies remain competitive and that citizens enjoy a good quality of life,” says Eric Labaye, President of the Institut Polytechnique de Paris.

“We are delighted to have Schneider Electric as a new patron to support a common societal project that focuses on impact and the joint role that research and youth can play. This will help accelerate the tremendous momentum that the Hi! PARIS centre has already developed. The pursuit of excellence, the importance of innovation, and the desire to make an impact are core values that firmly tie Schneider Electric with HEC Paris and Institut Polytechnique de Paris. The company is also one of the historical partners of our schools”, says Eloïc Peyrache, Dean and Director General of HEC Paris.