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It’s often referred to as the biggest startup event in Europe. VivaTech opens its doors this Wednesday in Paris with 150,000 people in attendance, as well as 10,000 startups. The event takes place as signs are emerging that the French tech sector might be recovering from a period of cost-cutting and high interest rates. We discuss this and the race to develop AI skills with the co-founder of VivaTech, Pierre Louette.

One of Europe's largest tech conferences kicks off in Paris this Wednesday. Startups will meet investors, and guest speakers including Elon Musk will discuss the role of artificial intelligence at the VivaTech event. On Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron announced extra investment in AI in France. Meanwhile, the EU has given its final green light to the AI Act, the first of its kind.

A group of NGOs have filed a criminal complaint in Paris, asking a court to open a trial against TotalEnergies' top management as well as major shareholders for the climate damage they have caused. The filing comes on the same day the French energy giant announced a new €6 billion project to develop two deepwater oil fields off the coast of Angola. Plus, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman apologises to Scarlett Johansson after the actress complained about ChatGPT's voice sounding "eerily" similar to hers. 

Global markets appear unfazed after Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash. Any political instability could deal a blow to Iran's economy, which is already struggling with US sanctions, soaring inflation and high unemployment, but many analysts believe the impact of the tragedy will be limited. Plus, it's World Bee Day, and some honey producers in France are facing a crisis after a particularly wet spring. 

Beijing sanctions three American defence companies as Taiwan's new president takes office. China is also launching an anti-dumping investigation into imported EU, US, Japan and Taiwan chemicals amid a growing trade spat. The country's struggling property market gets a government lifeline, but investors remain unconvinced that it will be enough.

France has declared a state of emergency in its overseas territory of New Caledonia. Violence over a planned constitutional reform is threatening its already struggling economy. Plus, Boeing may face the criminal prosecution it had avoided back in 2021, with the US Justice Department accusing the planemaker of violating the terms of the deferred prosecution deal.