As artificial intelligence (AI) and digital applications explode in popularity, data centers are becoming critical infrastructure at the heart of economic, environmental, and sovereignty issues. In France, this trend is accelerating thanks to the government’s commitment.

This roundtable aims to shed light on the realities behind the hype: industrial opportunities, energy constraints, technological dependencies, and political trade-offs. A discussion designed to look beyond marketing rhetoric and examine what models are truly sustainable.

• The Rise of AI: What Are the Actual Impacts on Infrastructure Demand and Energy Consumption?
• Colocation vs. Hyperscale: Business Models, Dependence on Cloud Giants, and the Room for Maneuver of French Players.
• Regional Implementation: Local Tensions, Social Acceptability, and Competition for Access to Electricity and Land.
• Digital Sovereignty: Myth or Credible Strategy?
• Environment and Regulation: Energy Efficiency, Heat Recovery, and the Limits of “Green” Commitments.