A German French weapons manufacturer increases production to meet the needs of the War Economy of France. An encounter with the largest supercomputer in France dedicated to artificial intelligence. And how the National Anthem Marselleise has contributed to reinforce French values and ideals.
Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Emmanuel Macron said that France was moving to a “war economy”, asking the gun manufacturers in particular to produce more and more quickly. We listen to the KNDS staff, a middle Franco-German Defense Group owned by the French State, on how they have managed to triple the production of artillery and Césares ammunition to deliver to Ukraine. We also talk about the challenges of financing a war economy, given the enormous deficit of France, with the economist Virginie Monvoisin of the Grenoble School of Management. (Listen @2’20 ”)
As France aims to become a leader in the development of artificial intelligence, it is increasing its investment in the construction of the necessary computer power to execute it. Jean Zay’s supercomputer, on the Campus of the University of Paris Saclay south of Paris, is one of the most powerful in France and is available for free for researchers. Pierre-François Lavallée, director of the IT Institute of Ti of France (IDRIS), explains how the supercomputer, its uses and how the large amount of heat generated by the calculations is redirected and reused as a source of energy works. (Listen @18’45 ”)
The Marseille He became the French national anthem 230 years ago, in 1795. Written in a few hours, on April 25, 1792, he has resisted many storms and remains a popular symbol or a revolutionary background against authoritarianism. It also has trips in the legs prisoned in France and abroad to serve other political causes, such as feminism. (Listen @12 ‘)
Episode mixed by Vincent Pora.
Spotlight on France is a Radio France International podcast. Find us at rfiengglish.com, Apple podcasts (link here), Spotify (link here) or its favorite podcast application (Pod.Link/1573769878).
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