TLDR : France invests heavily in AI, especially in cybersecurity and design, but sees limited ROI. Operational execution and ESG frameworks need improvement.
According to the 10th annual report on the state of smart manufacturing published by Rockwell Automation, France stands out in Europe for its advanced adoption of AI in key areas like cybersecurity and industrial design. This study, based on feedback from over 1,500 large manufacturing companies worldwide, however, highlights a notable gap between the level of adoption and the expected economic performance.
According to the report, 94% of French industrial companies are investing or planning to invest in AI and generative AI. Yet, only 2% of them believe AI has generated the best ROI (return on investment) in 2024, the lowest proportion among the countries analyzed. For GenAI, this figure rises to 8%, but still falls short of the European level (13%).
For Gilles Pacaud, General Manager of Rockwell Automation France, the time has come to move from experimentation to effective integration to ensure tangible and consistent results.
AI for Cybersecurity and Design
Despite this modest profitability, France leads in strategic uses of AI: 56% of industrials use it to enhance their cybersecurity, compared to an EU average of 45%. Similarly, 36% use it for designing new products, a proportion higher than that observed in other European countries (31%). This dynamic is accompanied by a skills revaluation: 80% of French companies now consider expertise in AI/ML as a decisive lever to attract talent, compared to 67% in 2024.
However, operational execution struggles to keep up. While cybersecurity is a priority investment area for 93% of respondents, only 9% believe they have achieved tangible ROI at this stage. The active adoption rate of countermeasures remains the lowest in Europe, at only 24%.
A Changing HR Strategy, ESG Ambition to Strengthen
In terms of human resources, French companies are adopting a dual strategy. While 33% recruit new tech profiles, 27% invest in upskilling, a level below the European average. But 40% of industrials opt for a mixed approach, combining both levers, the highest rate observed in Europe.
The report finally highlights a lagging ESG dynamic. In France, only 35% of industrial companies operate within a structured ESG framework, and just 17% plan to use these criteria to improve their performance in the medium term. Nonetheless, motivations are becoming clearer: 52% cite operational efficiency as an acceleration factor, while 42% highlight ethical considerations, a proportion unmatched in Europe.