VivaTech, one of Europe's premier technology and startup gatherings, has returned to Paris for its tenth edition, drawing roughly 200,000 attendees to the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. Among the high-profile guests this year are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and French President Emmanuel Macron, a regular at the event. But the real star of the show floor is artificial intelligence, which dominates conversations across the sprawling halls.
Euronews reporters canvassed visitors with two straightforward questions: which technology worries you most, and which excites you most? The overwhelming answer to both was AI. A student from Morocco responded without hesitation: “Oh, definitely AI.” Spanish tech professional María Isabel Fernández Polo offered a more nuanced view, calling AI “a tool that can deliver real benefits, but one that needs careful handling.” She added, “I think it can be amazing, but we need to be aware of the possibilities.”
Some attendees were particularly taken by specific products. Kivuila Mavuidi, visiting from the Democratic Republic of Congo, pointed to Google’s chatbot: “Obviously it's Gemini, Gemini from Google,” he said with a smile. Maurice Lévy, former CEO of Publicis Groupe and co-founder of VivaTech, identified humanoid robotics as the most striking development this year. “It is something which is scary, and opens new dreams,” he remarked.
A French student captured the ambivalence many feel toward AI more broadly. “It has double edges. It can have a lot of benefits for humanity, but at the same time it could take us to places that we don't want to go,” she said.
From Corporate Giants to Grassroots Innovators
Major French corporations such as LVMH, Orange, L'Oréal, and Airbus have set up prominent booths, alongside hundreds of smaller startups presenting fresh innovations. One memorable demonstration came from audio company Skyted. Marketing consultant Clémence Gorjux showed off an earpiece designed to allow private conversations in noisy public spaces, targeting business leaders, politicians, and anyone who wants to chat discreetly without being overheard.
Not every innovation comes from a corporate giant. Batterizy, a French association where 75% of employees are people with disabilities, is exhibiting a solar-rechargeable mobile battery system intended for festivals and construction sites. The initiative highlights how inclusive design can intersect with practical technology.
For the more anxious visitor, VivaTech offers at least one answer. French company Lifepods is showcasing a personal survival capsule built for flood zones, tsunami risk areas, and earthquake zones. It is, as one might imagine, perfect for the disaster-movie scenario where AI-powered robots take over the world.
Bezos, who also spoke at the event about lunar colonization as a key to saving Earth, underscored the broader ambition of the tech elite gathered here. His presence, alongside Macron’s, signals the importance of VivaTech as a platform for shaping Europe’s digital future. The event runs through the weekend, with panels, demos, and networking sessions continuing to draw crowds.
