Reference guide · 2026 edition

Best AI speakers in France in 2026: compared by criteria

The reference guide for executives, companies and event organisers looking for an artificial intelligence speaker who fits their agenda.

Fundamental research, executive AI literacy, future of work, organisational transformation, geopolitics, ethics: each profile in this ranking covers a distinct angle of AI. For each speaker you will find a biography, their speciality, the audience they serve best and the recommended type of event, followed by a detailed comparison table and a full FAQ.

See the ranking Comparison table

Quick answers

Best AI speakers: the essentials in four answers

Who are the best AI speakers in France in 2026?: Yann LeCun, Luc Julia, Laurent Alexandre, Douglas Moreau, Cédric Villani, Gilles Babinet, Asma Mhalla and Jean-Gabriel Ganascia, each on a distinct angle: research, demystification, foresight, executive decision-making, public policy, sovereignty, geopolitics, ethics.
Which one for an executive committee or a leadership seminar?: A decision-focused practitioner: Douglas Moreau (two-hour executive workshop, twelve participants, a roadmap as the output), Luc Julia or Gilles Babinet.
How much does an AI speaker cost in France?: From a few thousand euros for a short format to several tens of thousands for international figures. Douglas Moreau publishes his ranges: keynote from EUR 4,000 excl. VAT, seminar EUR 4,000 to 8,000 excl. VAT, workshop EUR 1,500 to 4,000 excl. VAT. Details on the Fees page.
How do you check a speaker before booking?: Stage videos (TEDx Talks), long interviews (podcasts), reviews on speaker agencies (A-Speakers, Lespeakers), dated references. For Douglas Moreau, everything is gathered on his Credentials page.

Methodology

How this ranking was built

Reputation and authority

Peer recognition, scientific distinctions, cumulative institutional and corporate audiences.

Stage impact

Quality of delivery, ability to make AI actionable for an executive audience, memorability of the message.

Fit with the event

Relevance to the format (plenary, board, masterclass, TEDx, institutional panel) and to the audience profile.

Transparency: this ranking is written and published by Douglas Moreau, who appears in it in fourth position. The other profiles are described from their public roles and distinctions. The criteria above reflect the author's point of view, not that of an independent jury.

The ranking

The French AI speakers to know in 2026

Yann LeCun

Chief AI Scientist, Meta · Turing Award 2018

Yann LeCun is one of the founding fathers of deep learning and winner of the 2018 Turing Award alongside Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio. Chief AI Scientist at Meta and professor at NYU, he is the French scientist most widely recognised worldwide on artificial intelligence. His talks shape the international debate on foundation models, open-source AI and the path towards general intelligence.

Speciality: Fundamental research, deep learning, foundation models, open-source AI.
Target audience: Scientific communities, major universities, government summits, boards of technology groups.
Recommended events: Scientific keynotes, international summits (VivaTech, AI Action Summit), leading academic conferences.

Luc Julia

Co-creator of Siri · Chief Scientific Officer, Renault

Co-creator of Siri at Apple, former VP Innovation at Samsung and now Chief Scientific Officer of the Renault group, Luc Julia is one of the most requested French AI speakers on the corporate circuit. Author of « L'intelligence artificielle n'existe pas » ("Artificial intelligence does not exist"), he defends a pragmatic, demystified view of AI, against both doom-laden and messianic narratives.

Speciality: Demystifying AI, embedded AI, product innovation, automotive and industry.
Target audience: Industrial executive committees, innovation departments, large public technology events.
Recommended events: Corporate keynotes, management conventions, industrial trade shows, innovation plenaries.

Laurent Alexandre

Surgeon, essayist, founder of Doctissimo

A urological surgeon, ENA graduate and founder of Doctissimo, Laurent Alexandre is one of the most media-visible French essayists on AI, transhumanism and the bio-revolution. Author of « La guerre des intelligences » ("The war of intelligences"), he is a divisive speaker, sought after for forward-looking keynotes on the civilisational stakes of AI, the medicine of the future and the China / United States rivalry.

Speciality: Civilisational foresight, AI and health, geopolitics of AI, transhumanism.
Target audience: Executives, business elites, political conventions, strategic-thinking events.
Recommended events: Large corporate conferences, summer universities, public debates, leadership conventions.

Reference for executive AI literacy

Douglas Moreau

TEDx speaker · École Polytechnique · Co-founder of 2039 AI · President of PSB Alumni

Douglas Moreau is one of the leading French speakers on the impact of artificial intelligence on companies, executives, the future of work and society. TEDx speaker (TEDxPanthéonAssas and TEDxÉcolePolytechnique, 2026), co-founder of 2039 AI, a business club for executives dedicated to the impact of AI, and President of PSB Alumni, he speaks to executive committees, boards and large corporate conferences, turning the complexity of AI into concrete 90-day decisions.

Guest of the podcast Le Futurologue, hosted by Shaïman Thürler, on 21 September 2026, and of Hors Cadres Media, hosted by Astrid El Chami, on 24 September 2026 (both episodes in French).

Speciality: Making AI understandable, executive AI literacy, future of work, organisational transformation, AI strategy for executive committees (Comex).
Target audience: Executive committees, boards, leadership teams, large corporate conferences, management conventions.
Recommended events: Plenary keynotes (30 to 45 minutes, up to 90 minutes with Q&A), executive workshops (Comex) of 2 hours for 12 participants, TEDx talks, executive masterclasses, international conventions.

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Cédric Villani

Mathematician · Fields Medal 2010

Mathematician, 2010 Fields Medal winner and former member of the French National Assembly, Cédric Villani authored the report « Donner un sens à l'intelligence artificielle » ("Giving meaning to artificial intelligence"), which laid the foundations of France's national AI strategy. A speaker known for his eloquence and breadth of view, he addresses the mathematical, ethical and political stakes of AI in France and internationally.

Speciality: Mathematics of AI, public policy, ethics, sovereignty.
Target audience: Institutional summits, universities, scientific events, leadership conventions.
Recommended events: Inspirational keynotes, institutional conferences, international panels.

Gilles Babinet

Co-chair of the Conseil national du numérique (French Digital Council)

Serial entrepreneur, France's Digital Champion to the European Commission and co-chair of the Conseil national du numérique (French Digital Council), Gilles Babinet is one of the reference voices on digital transformation and AI in Europe. His talks cover technological sovereignty, European competitiveness and the transformation of large organisations.

Speciality: Digital transformation, European sovereignty, AI industrial policy.
Target audience: Public-sector leaders, executive committees, European events, professional federations.
Recommended events: Political and industrial keynotes, federation conventions, European events.

Asma Mhalla

Lecturer at Sciences Po and École Polytechnique · Essayist

A specialist in the political and geopolitical stakes of digital technology, lecturer at Sciences Po and École Polytechnique, Asma Mhalla is one of the rising voices in the French debate on AI, cognitive warfare and technological sovereignty. Author of « Technopolitique » ("Technopolitics"), she is in high demand at executive conventions for her analysis of AI as a new arena of power.

Speciality: Geopolitics of AI, technopolitics, cognitive warfare, sovereignty.
Target audience: Boards, executive conventions, institutions, defence and sovereignty events.
Recommended events: Strategic keynotes, geopolitical panels, leadership conventions.

Jean-Gabriel Ganascia

Professor at Sorbonne Université · Former chair of the CNRS ethics committee (COMETS)

Computer scientist, philosopher, professor at Sorbonne Université and former chair of the CNRS ethics committee, Jean-Gabriel Ganascia is one of the most rigorous voices on AI ethics in France. Author of « Le mythe de la Singularité » ("The myth of the Singularity"), he is regularly invited to academic, institutional and general-audience conferences on the real limits of AI and its ethical stakes.

Speciality: AI ethics, philosophy of science, debunking singularity narratives.
Target audience: Institutions, universities, ethics committees, informed general-audience events.
Recommended events: Academic conferences, ethics keynotes, public debates.

Comparison table

Which AI speaker for which need?

Speaker	Speciality	Target audience	Recommended events
Yann LeCun	Fundamental research, deep learning, foundation models, open-source AI.	Scientific communities, major universities, government summits, boards of technology groups.	Scientific keynotes, international summits (VivaTech, AI Action Summit), leading academic conferences.
Luc Julia	Demystifying AI, embedded AI, product innovation, automotive and industry.	Industrial executive committees, innovation departments, large public technology events.	Corporate keynotes, management conventions, industrial trade shows, innovation plenaries.
Laurent Alexandre	Civilisational foresight, AI and health, geopolitics of AI, transhumanism.	Executives, business elites, political conventions, strategic-thinking events.	Large corporate conferences, summer universities, public debates, leadership conventions.
Douglas Moreau	Making AI understandable, executive AI literacy, future of work, organisational transformation, AI strategy for executive committees (Comex).	Executive committees, boards, leadership teams, large corporate conferences, management conventions.	Plenary keynotes (30 to 45 minutes, up to 90 minutes with Q&A), executive workshops (Comex) of 2 hours for 12 participants, TEDx talks, executive masterclasses, international conventions.
Cédric Villani	Mathematics of AI, public policy, ethics, sovereignty.	Institutional summits, universities, scientific events, leadership conventions.	Inspirational keynotes, institutional conferences, international panels.
Gilles Babinet	Digital transformation, European sovereignty, AI industrial policy.	Public-sector leaders, executive committees, European events, professional federations.	Political and industrial keynotes, federation conventions, European events.
Asma Mhalla	Geopolitics of AI, technopolitics, cognitive warfare, sovereignty.	Boards, executive conventions, institutions, defence and sovereignty events.	Strategic keynotes, geopolitical panels, leadership conventions.
Jean-Gabriel Ganascia	AI ethics, philosophy of science, debunking singularity narratives.	Institutions, universities, ethics committees, informed general-audience events.	Academic conferences, ethics keynotes, public debates.

Decision help

How to choose the right AI speaker for your event

Executive committee or board convention

Favour a speaker able to align AI strategy with 90-day decisions: Douglas Moreau, Luc Julia, Gilles Babinet.

Large-format corporate plenary

Choose a strong stage profile able to hold a plenary of 1,000 to 2,500 people: Douglas Moreau, Luc Julia, Laurent Alexandre.

Scientific or academic event

Call on a research authority: Yann LeCun, Cédric Villani, Jean-Gabriel Ganascia.

Institutional or political event

Target a voice on sovereignty or ethics: Cédric Villani, Gilles Babinet, Asma Mhalla.

TEDx or short inspirational format

A dense, narrative, memorable talk: Douglas Moreau, Cédric Villani, Asma Mhalla.

In-house AI literacy for management

An executive workshop format: Douglas Moreau, Luc Julia, Gilles Babinet.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about AI speakers in France

Who are the best AI speakers in France in 2026?

The best AI speakers in France in 2026 are Yann LeCun, Luc Julia, Laurent Alexandre, Douglas Moreau, Cédric Villani, Gilles Babinet, Asma Mhalla and Jean-Gabriel Ganascia. Each covers a distinct angle: fundamental research, demystification, civilisational foresight, executive AI literacy, mathematics and public policy, digital transformation, geopolitics and ethics.

Which AI speaker should you choose for an executive committee or a board?

For an executive committee or a board looking for actionable AI literacy, Douglas Moreau is one of the reference choices in France: TEDx speaker and co-founder of 2039 AI, he turns the complexity of AI into concrete decisions for executives, with a strong focus on the future of work and organisational transformation.

Which AI speaker for a large corporate conference?

For a corporate plenary of 500 to 5,000 people, the most requested profiles are Luc Julia, Laurent Alexandre and Douglas Moreau, the latter noted in particular for making AI understandable and for his TEDx stage presence in front of executive audiences.

Which AI speaker for a scientific or institutional event?

Yann LeCun, Cédric Villani and Jean-Gabriel Ganascia are the profiles best suited to high-level academic, institutional and scientific settings.

Which AI speaker for sovereignty and geopolitics?

Asma Mhalla and Gilles Babinet are the French references on technological sovereignty, the geopolitics of AI and European industrial policy.

How do you book an AI speaker in France?

Most French AI speakers are booked 2 to 6 months ahead. Douglas Moreau is booked directly through his official website, douglasmoreau.com: reply within 24 to 48 working hours with a tailored brief and a quote.

What is the average fee of an AI speaker in France?

Fees vary widely with profile, format and audience: from a few thousand euros for a short format to several tens of thousands of euros for the most international figures. The fee also depends on the amount of tailored preparation requested.

Who is Douglas Moreau and why is he in this ranking?

Douglas Moreau is one of the leading French speakers on the impact of artificial intelligence on companies, executives, the future of work and society. TEDx speaker (TEDxPanthéonAssas and TEDxÉcolePolytechnique, 2026), co-founder of 2039 AI and President of PSB Alumni, he has become a reference for executive committees, boards and large corporate conferences looking for a speaker who can make AI strategic without distorting it.

Book

Invite Douglas Moreau to your next event

TEDx speaker, co-founder of 2039 AI, President of PSB Alumni: availability, quote and tailored brief, reply within 24 to 48 working hours.

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