Rodolphe Saadé, the chairman of CMA CGM, is investing in ventures outside of the company’s core container shipping segment following record-breaking annual profits. As part of this expansion, he has launched a media division, an air cargo business, and is exploring artificial intelligence (AI) through a joint venture with Eric Schmidt and Xavier Niel called Kyutai.

Kyutai is an AI open science lab that aims to tackle the main challenges of modern AI. The non-profit laboratory will use Scaleway’s high-performance computing power for AI applications deployed in Europe to develop large multimodal models and invent new algorithms to enhance their capacities, reliability, and efficiency. Kyutai has already received nearly EUR300m in investments from its founders Niel’s iliad Group, CMA CGM, and Schmidt Futures.

Saadé expressed his desire to democratize AI through Kyutai and share its advances with the entire AI ecosystem. He hopes that researchers will have access to the resources they need to create and invent the world of tomorrow. The involvement of CMA CGM in AI research stems from a desire to position France at the forefront of artificial intelligence research and create an innovative ecosystem that will keep businesses competitive in Europe. Saadé believes that joining forces is key to preparing for the future in the realm of AI.

In addition to its focus on AI research, Kyutai also plans to explore other areas such as data science and machine learning. It aims to become a leading hub for innovation in these fields and contribute to driving technological advancements across various industries.

Overall, Saadé’s investment in ventures beyond CMA CGM’s core shipping segment shows his commitment to expanding into emerging markets and staying ahead of industry trends. With Kyutai as one of its key initiatives, he is demonstrating his willingness to embrace new technologies and invest in their development for the future.