The World AI Cannes Festival is set to host over 10,000 AI professionals this February, turning the Riviera into the season’s biggest AI gathering. With 320 speakers, 250 sessions, and 220 exhibitors across four tracks, the event promises hands‑on demos, policy debates, and networking that can accelerate your AI projects.
Event Scale and Highlights
Held at the Palais des Festivals, the two‑day showcase features more than 220 exhibitors ranging from global cloud providers to niche AI startups. Ticket prices start at €1,200, but free “Discovery” passes let you explore the main exhibition hall without a cost barrier.
Track Overview
- AI for Business – practical use‑cases, ROI models, and integration strategies.
- AI Governance – regulatory frameworks, data‑sovereignty rules, and policy discussions.
- The Next AI Tech – emerging models, hardware innovations, and research breakthroughs.
- Health AI Summit – medical imaging, drug discovery, and patient‑centric solutions.
Key Exhibitors
Major players such as Accenture, AWS, and IBM return to the floor, while newcomers like LightOn and OREUS showcase concrete AI deployments—from enterprise search to private sovereign AI architectures. You’ll find demos that illustrate how these solutions meet strict European data‑sovereignty standards.
Why the Festival Matters
The sheer scale—10,000 attendees and 220 exhibitors—signals that Europe is cementing its role as a hub for AI dialogue, not just a consumer of overseas tech. The event also draws a strong Canadian presence, highlighting a growing transatlantic pipeline of talent and investment.
European AI Hub
With the EU’s AI Act revisions on the table, the dedicated AI Governance track brings policymakers, legal experts, and industry leaders together. These real‑time conversations could shape upcoming regulations, giving you a front‑row seat to policy evolution.
Economic Impact
Cannes is rebranding itself from a cinema capital to a tech destination. Local hotels, restaurants, and transport services stand to benefit from the influx of delegates, while regional authorities hope the visibility attracts further R&D funding.
Voices from the Floor
LightOn spokesperson: “Being at WAICF lets us showcase how private‑sovereign AI architectures can meet strict European data‑sovereignty rules.” This underscores a shift from hype to implementation, as vendors prove their solutions work within emerging frameworks.
Jean‑François Chapperon, Team Nice Côte d’Azur: “Our goal at the AI Business Tour and WAICF is to turn curiosity into collaboration.” By bringing more than 50 foreign firms into the Nice ecosystem, the team aims to seed joint projects that leverage local accelerators and research labs.
With momentum building each year, the World AI Cannes Festival is quickly becoming the go‑to event for anyone serious about the future of artificial intelligence. If you’re looking to connect with leaders, explore cutting‑edge tech, and influence policy, you won’t want to miss this Riviera showcase.
