TCS to set up first-of-its-kind human-centric AI CoE in France

Indian IT services major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has announced the establishment of a Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centre of Excellence in Paris during the Choose France Summit hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.

The new AI centre will be located in the upcoming TCS PacePort in the La Défense area of Paris, which will be inaugurated in June 2024. It will become the seventh facility in TCS' global Pace network, following locations in Amsterdam, London, New York, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Tokyo.
 
The TCS AI Centre of Excellence in Paris will utilise TCS' global ecosystem of startups, academia, and research organisations to bring the best global capabilities to French companies. The new centre will integrate into France's expanding AI ecosystem and tap into its talent pool in design and engineering to develop advanced technologies in the field of human-centric AI, according to the company.

Valerie Pecresse, President of the Regional Council of the Ile-de-France region, said, “Paris region is fast developing into one of the global epicentres for Artificial Intelligence. We are delighted to see this new investment by TCS, which will boost the AI ecosystem we are looking to develop and provide new opportunities to our students and professionals. I look forward to inaugurating this centre in June.”

The centre will, initially, focus on areas such as brain-computer interface, building empathy in machines, and unleashing the power of AI in arts and culture. The leading position that Paris has as a global hub of culture, arts, and design will provide added impetus to this initiative.

Harrick Vin, Chief Technology Officer, TCS, said, “The need of the hour is to boost AI skills present in the country, accelerate the adoption of AI in the French economy, and develop global capabilities here that will benefit the rest of the world. Our new AI centre in Paris will focus on many of these areas, including the development of talent and leveraging the world-renowned culture that France has for design — reflected in its fashion, luxury sector and museums.”

Rammohan Gourneni, Country Head, TCS France said that the new investments in the TCS PacePort in Paris and the TCS AI Centre of Excellence are demonstrations of our ongoing commitment to building capabilities in the most advanced technologies and bringing them to bear for our clients in the country and across the world. 

"The new centre will focus on boosting human-centred AI capabilities for the banking & financial services, manufacturing, and consumer sectors, to start with. We will hire new talent and partner with universities to offer internships and projects, to support the National AI Mission,” he said.

TCS has been increasing its investments in France since beginning operations in 1992. With the acquisitions of TKS Teknosoft in 2006 and Alti in 2013, it has established a strong presence in the region. Currently serving over 80 French clients, France is a rapidly growing market for TCS, with 1,600 employees spread across four major centres in Lille, Poitiers, and Paris, and a new facility soon to be established in Toulouse.

In January, the technology giant disclosed plans to double its staff in France over the next three years to drive business growth, after modernising its corporate headquarters in La Défense, establishing a new PacePort, and recruiting over 500 employees in the past three years.