VivaTech returns from June 17 to 20, 2026, at the Porte de Versailles and announces a scale-up.

During this edition, Hi! PARIS will co-organize a workshop with HEC Paris (IEI) and CDL-Paris, titled “Defense in the Age of Physical AI – Dual-use systems, strategic capability, and Europe’s sovereignty” on June 17(12:30–2:00 PM). ​

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented speed, faster than any previous technology wave. In just a few years, the conversation has moved from predictive AI to generative AI, and then to agentic AI. The next frontier is now becoming increasingly visible: Physical AI.

Physical AI refers to AI systems that do not only process information, but also interact with the real world through perception, decision-making, autonomy, and action. It is the convergence of advanced models, robotics, autonomous systems, edge computing, simulation, and real-time inference. It brings AI out of the interface and into the environment.

One of the earliest and most consequential domains where this shift is already becoming tangible is defense.

From autonomous systems and robotics to intelligence support, navigation, surveillance, counter-drone systems, and other dual-use applications, AI is accelerating a new generation of capabilities. What was once discussed as future potential is increasingly becoming an operational reality. This creates new opportunities, new tensions, and new strategic questions for founders, investors, researchers, public institutions, and the wider innovation ecosystem.

This event will convene leaders from across the European ecosystem to explore how Physical AI is advancing defense, how dual-use technologies are moving from innovation to deployment, and what this means for security, sovereignty, and Europe’s strategic position.