Paris is once again at the centre of the global technology conversation as VivaTech 2026 opens at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, drawing start-ups, industry leaders and international delegations for one of Europe's largest annual gatherings dedicated to innovation. This year's edition, running until 20 June, has placed a clear emphasis on real-world applications of artificial intelligence — moving the industry's focus away from long-term speculation and toward technology already being deployed across business and daily life.
Among the most striking attractions on the exhibition floor are humanoid robots from Unitree, a Chinese robotics company, performing boxing movements and balancing exercises alongside robotic dogs navigating the crowded halls. The demonstrations reflect a surge of interest in machines designed to work alongside humans in warehouses, factories and logistics centres. Meanwhile, consumer-facing AI applications are also on display: Samsung is showcasing a smart refrigerator that tracks food items and generates shopping lists through a touchscreen interface, illustrating how connected technology is steadily entering the home.
The event has also carried significant diplomatic weight. French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a joint appearance at the Indian pavilion, meeting entrepreneurs and greeting exhibitors in a visit that underscored deepening Franco-Indian ties in technology and innovation. Their tour came during the Franco-Indian Year of Innovation, a bilateral initiative launched in Mumbai in February 2026 to promote collaboration in research, technology and entrepreneurship. The two leaders had inaugurated Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, a showcase for emerging Indian technology ventures, just days earlier. India is among the most strongly represented nations at this year's VivaTech, with companies working across software, manufacturing, biotechnology and space technology.
Major corporations are also using the event to show how AI is reshaping customer engagement. L'Oréal, the French beauty giant, is deploying artificial intelligence across marketing, product discovery and personalised consumer experiences, with the company's Chief Digital and Marketing Officer describing how AI assistants are transforming the way brands reach customers as more consumers turn to them for recommendations and advice.
The breadth of applications on show — from humanoid robots to smart kitchens to beauty personalisation — reflects a broader industry shift. Organisers say businesses are increasingly treating AI not as a future ambition but as a present-day tool for improving productivity, developing new services and forging international partnerships, making innovation a central pillar of economic cooperation in an uncertain global landscape.