Schneider Electric renews its support for Hi! PARIS to advance open AI research and foster new talent
Schneider Electric has renewed its partnership with Hi! PARIS for three additional years. This new phase continues an engagement launched in 2022 and reflects a shared ambition: advance an open and responsible vision of artificial intelligence, one that serves society and supports the global energy transition.
As an interdisciplinary center founded by the Institut Polytechnique de Paris and HEC Paris, and joined by Inria in 2021, Hi! PARIS has seen strong scientific growth in recent years. The center was recently recognized as a national IA-Cluster through France 2030, confirming the rise of a research ecosystem built by a diverse community of faculty, PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and students. Today, Hi! PARIS includes 19 research chairs, 50 collaborative projects, dozens of early-career researchers supported each year, and more than 430 publications in leading international conferences and journals.
Strengthening long-term scientific research
The renewed support from Schneider Electric will reinforce the scientific foundation of Hi! PARIS. During the first phase of the partnership, the company helped expand several research chairs and sustained open research efforts that have contributed to the center’s national visibility and scientific momentum.
The next three years will introduce a new open research chair focused on one of the central challenges of the energy transition: developing AI models capable of handling heterogeneous data, including time series, tabular data, text, and information from IoT systems. These methods are essential for understanding complex electrical systems and supporting large-scale electrification efforts. All research produced within this chair will be shared openly with the scientific community.
Expanding education and preparing the next generation
The partnership also plays a key role in strengthening education in AI and data science. Over the past years, Schneider Electric and Hi! PARIS have collaborated on Career Fairs, Data Boot Camps, Summer Schools, and other programs that have already reached more than 1,500 students.
The renewed collaboration will help the center increase the number of students trained in AI, reinforce support for PhD candidates, and create new opportunities for internships, research collaborations, and long-term projects. These efforts aim to bring academic research closer to industrial needs and prepare a generation of talent capable of designing and deploying responsible AI systems.
Supporting the growth of a scientific and societal ecosystem
Schneider Electric’s support has also enabled Hi! PARIS to build a rich scientific agenda, including technical symposiums, Meet Ups dedicated to major societal AI topics, reading groups, summer schools, and the opening scientific conference of the AI Summit.
In the coming years, the company will take a strengthened role within the Hi! PARIS Initiatives, a program that brings together researchers, industry leaders, and public actors to contribute analyses, policy reports, and events at the intersection of technology, industry, and society.
A partnership built on shared values
Both Schneider Electric and Hi! PARIS share a conviction: AI must be open, responsible, and grounded in real-world challenges. Their continued collaboration supports research excellence, fosters exchange between academic and industrial communities, and contributes to the development of scientific solutions for the energy and technological challenges ahead.
Aymeric Renaud, President of Schneider Electric France, emphasizes this vision:
“Renewing our partnership with Hi! PARIS reaffirms our belief that artificial intelligence and data science are evolving at a remarkable pace and are essential to the success of the energy and digital transition. Together, we prepare the talent of tomorrow and develop responsible solutions that serve a more inclusive and sustainable future.”
Thierry Coulhon, President of the Executive Board of the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, and Eloic Peyrache, Dean of HEC Paris, add:
“This partnership shows the strength of the connection between academic excellence and the needs of the industrial world. Its renewal will allow Hi! PARIS to expand its impact, support high-level talent, and bring scientific insight to the energy and technological challenges of our time.”
Vincent Rapp, Executive Director of Hi! PARIS, highlights the significance of this renewal:
“This partnership has been essential in strengthening Hi! PARIS, increasing its visibility, consolidating research, and deepening the dialogue between academia and industry. Its renewal allows us to go even further, explore new scientific directions, work more closely with researchers, and support fundamental AI research that remains responsible and aligned with real-world needs. It stands as an example of what long-term collaboration can achieve when it is built with intention and continuity.”
Through this collaboration, Hi! PARIS continues its mission to advance research, foster innovation, and train the next generation of leaders in AI and data science.