AI ranking: French, European and global — Choosing a solution that complies with the GDPR and the AI Act
Artificial Intelligence is omnipresent, but behind innovation there is a major challenge of digital sovereignty and compliance with the GDPR and the recent AI Act. This article is intended for Legal, IT and Compliance departments to guide them in the ranking of AIs (French, European or global) and to help them structure the use of these technologies in a responsible and sustainable way.
Artificial intelligence is now omnipresent in organizations. Behind the innovation race, there is a major strategic challenge: digital sovereignty.
When we compare the AIs developed in France, in Europe or at the global level, What are the best practices to adopt? How to structure the use of these technologies in a responsible, compliant and sustainable manner? This article is intended for Legal, IT, Compliance, Business Management and CISO departments.
French AI: performance, sovereignty and respect for data protection frameworks
AI solutions developed in France aim to combine technological performance and compliance with French and European data protection frameworks. These offerings may be particularly relevant for public organizations or those that deal with strategic data. Choosing a French AI also means opting for a more integrated value chain in the European Union, potentially less subject to external dependencies.
European AI: innovation, regulation (AI Act) and data governance
Europe is committed to offering credible alternatives to American giants. European solutions seek to respect the values of data protection, ethics and governance, while offering performances adapted to business challenges. In this context, digital sovereignty — the ability to host, manage and control its data and models — is becoming an important differentiator.
Global AI: technological power, risk of transfer outside the EU and increased dependencies
Major international technology platforms offer maturity and a rich ecosystem around AI. However, they ask the question of the location of data, model control and technological dependence with respect to jurisdictions or infrastructures outside Europe. Their use requires strict supervision, both in terms of contracts and in terms of internal governance.
Before adopting an AI solution, it's helpful for each department involved to ask themselves the right questions:
- Where are hosted the data? Are they Stored in a European cloud or abroad?
- What is the level of transparency of the model? Is the model documented, explainable, auditable?
- What internal governance frame its use? An AI charter Does it exist, are the trades Trained ?
These reflexes make it possible to reconcile innovation and compliance while reducing legal, reputational or technological risks.
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Here are some recent developments that reinforce the importance of these issues:
The European Commission (EU) AI Act came into force on 1 August 2024 and the first obligations apply as of 2 February 2025. The rules for general-purpose AI models (GPAI) will be fully applicable from 2 August 2025. European Commission
The EU announced a €1 billion financing plan to strengthen the use of AI in key industries, in an approach of technological sovereignty. reuters
The concept of “sovereign AI” has become a major strategic challenge in technological rivalry between the United States, China and Europe. Wired
EU guidelines now prohibit certain AI practices: for example the use by employers of AI to track the emotions of employees, or the use by AI websites to financially manipulate users. reuters
In France, the French startup Mistral AI announced an important partnership with Nvidia to create a European AI infrastructure, marking a step towards European technological autonomy. Le Monde.fr
These trends confirm that the choice of your AI solutions is no longer just a matter of business or IT: it involves challenges. sovereignty, governance and compliance.
Setting up an AI charter is not a simple formal exercise. It is a lever for responsible digital culture that allows:
- To involve the professions in understanding the challenges of AI
- To define a clear framework for the experimentation and use of AI
- To promote trust between IT, Legal, Compliance and Business Departments
The AI charter should be designed as a living document, adapted to your organization, and integrated into your governance.
AI Charter template: the essential sections for your DPO, CISO and Business Departments
Here are the main sections that your AI charter should include, along with the right questions to ask yourself by the various professions (Legal, IT, Compliance, Business Management):
- Objectives and principles
Questions: Why are we using AI? What benefits do we expect? What values do we want to respect (ethics, transparency, sovereignty)?
- Governance
Questions: Who validates AI projects? What business bodies or committees are involved? What is the role of the DPO, the CISO, the Compliance Department? How are AI providers and technological building blocks (models, infrastructure) monitored?
- Data protection and security
Questions: Where is the data hosted? What cloud, what geographic location? How are the risks of flight or transfer outside the EU addressed? Does the processing comply with the GDPR and the obligations of the AI Act?
- Responsible use and training
Questions: Are business users trained in the risks of AI (bias, explainability, resilience)? Is there a human supervision role for automated decisions? Are the uses documented and audited?
- Ongoing assessment and impact measurement
Questions: What indicators will we monitor (performance, compliance, ethics, incidents)? Is there feedback? How are models periodically re-evaluated and adapted to regulatory changes?
- Transparency, audit and traceability
Questions: Is the model used explainable and documented? Is there traceability of training data, model versions, changes made? How do we manage third parties/suppliers and their compliance with the AI framework?
Adequacy provides a downloadable model of a Responsible AI Charter, designed to guide your departments (Legal, IT, Compliance, Business) in the implementation of clear and adapted governance.
This document is designed for be customizable, usable immediately, and structured for discussions between business teams, DPO, CISO and relevant departments.
In a context where AI technologies are evolving very rapidly and where the challenges of digital sovereignty are at the heart of strategies, companies must informed choices. Good positioning no longer lies only in performance, but in the balance between innovation, compliance and sovereignty.
Adopting an AI solution also means accepting To control the conditions of use, of govern the effects, and vouch compliance. A well-designed AI charter is an essential tool for engaging your organization in a collaborative, structured and responsible approach.
Adequacy supports organizations in this process: from the GDPR compliance audit to the structuring of your AI governance.
How to choose a responsible and GDPR-compliant AI solution?
Choosing a responsible AI requires answering three key questions before adoption: where is the data hosted (European or foreign cloud)? What is the transparency level of the model (documented, explainable, auditable)? And finally, what internal governance frames its use (existence of an AI charter, job training)?
What is the AI Act and when does it apply?
The European Commission (EU) AI Act came into force on 1 August 2024. The first obligations apply as of February 2, 2025. The rules for general purpose AI models (GPAI) will be fully applicable as of August 2, 2025.
What is digital sovereignty in the context of AI?
Digital sovereignty is the ability to host, manage, and control your data and AI models. This is an important differentiator for European solutions that seek to offer an alternative to American giants by respecting the values of data protection, ethics and governance.
Why is it strategic to choose a French or European AI?
Choosing a French or European AI means opting for solutions that combine technological performance and compliance with French and European data protection frameworks. This makes it possible to reduce technological dependence on jurisdictions or infrastructures outside Europe, especially for strategic data.
What is the role of an AI Charter in business?
The AI charter is a key tool for responsible digital culture. It makes it possible to involve businesses in understanding the challenges of AI, to define a clear framework for experimentation and use, and to promote trust between the IT, Legal, Compliance and Business departments.
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