Gilles Babinet

Gilles Babinet is a French entrepreneur and digital strategist known for his expertise in the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and public policy. Babinet left school at 15 and later earned his French Baccalauréat as a free candidate at age 20, reflecting an unconventional, self-taught approach that has shaped his professional path. He has founded companies across sectors such as consulting (Absolut, Laitao), construction (Escalade Industrie), mobile music (Musiwave), co-creation (eYeka), and decision-making tools (Captain Dash).

Babinet founded Musiwave, a company recognized for pioneering mobile music technology. Musiwave became the first company to offer high-fidelity ringtones and CD-quality song downloads using GPRS technology in partnership with Vodafone. The company was later acquired by Openwave. Babinet has since supported the growth and development of multiple startups in the technology sector.

Babinet was elected the first president of the Conseil National du Numérique and later appointed Digital Champion by the French Minister for Digital Affairs. In these roles, he has represented France in the European Union's Digital Champions group and served as co-president of the Conseil National du Numérique, advising the French government on digital transformation and AI policy. He also served as co-president of the French Digital Council, where he launched the Café IA initiative and was later appointed president of the Café IA mission.

Babinet has collaborated with Institut Montaigne on research related to digital competitiveness, digital inclusion, big data, and the Internet of Things. He is a member of the AI Committee initiated by the French prime minister, contributing to national reports on artificial intelligence. As an author, Babinet has written several books, including "How Hippies, God, and Science Invented the Internet," "Green AI: Artificial Intelligence Serving the Climate," and "L'Ère numérique, un nouvel âge de l'humanité," which examines the impact of new technologies on education, healthcare, government, knowledge, and production.

Babinet teaches at Sciences Po Paris and lectures at HEC, supporting organizations in digital transformation and AI strategy. His work addresses key issues in artificial intelligence, digital policy, and the intersection of technology and climate, contributing to ongoing discussions about the future of governance and global competitiveness.