Macron calls for ‘taking back control’ from AI, social media platforms

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for "taking back control" of the transformations driven by artificial intelligence and digital platforms, warning about their effects on creativity and society.

"We have never looked at screens so much, and yet, by trying to watch everything, we risk ending up seeing nothing," Macron said at the opening of the Lumiere Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence in southeastern France.

Addressing government officials and cultural industry representatives from dozens of countries, Macron said the efforts of AI and social media platforms to capture users' attention marked a "genuine change of era" for the creation and distribution of cultural works.

He warned that people are being exposed to a constant stream of content designed to hold their attention for a few seconds rather than to "surprise, move or make people think."

Macron also highlighted the effects of the attention economy on children and adolescents, particularly on their sleep and ability to learn, saying it also posed a challenge to democracy.

While acknowledging AI's potential to reduce production costs and assist creative work, Macron warned against using it to replace writers, artists and voice professionals.

AI "can imitate what creation is," but cannot reproduce the "absolute uniqueness" of human creativity, he said, calling for stronger copyright and intellectual property protections.

Macron also urged greater transparency to ensure that AI-generated material can be distinguished from human-made content.

He announced four initiatives covering the preservation of global cinema and audiovisual heritage, media literacy, support for independent movie theaters and the establishment of an international video game festival.

France, South Korea and Nigeria will lead the media literacy partnership, with support from UNESCO.

Macron also unveiled the Lumiere Partnership, under which France and South Korea will jointly allocate €1 billion ($1.16 billion) over five years to support image-related industries and cultural sovereignty.

He called on other countries and partners to join the initiative.

"Taking back control means reclaiming attention, putting the work before the flow, and protecting those who create," Macron concluded.