Francophone countries have been urged to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) development to ensure the technology respects linguistic and cultural diversity and does not become dominated by a handful of major corporations.
Seng Sopheap, President of the Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT), made the remarks during an interview with reporters on Saturday following the first roundtable discussion at FrancoTech 2026, held alongside the 20th Francophonie Summit in Phnom Penh.
The discussion, held at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre and moderated by Sopheap, brought together international experts from Switzerland, France, Romania, Senegal and Smart Africa to examine the opportunities and challenges of AI development within the Francophone community.
Sopheap said the discussion focused on how nearly 90 Francophone countries could work together to develop AI technologies that accommodate their different languages, cultures and histories.
“We know that AI technology could lead to the loss of certain cultures and languages because it may only support a few major languages, leaving smaller languages without access to the technology,” he said.
He stressed that Francophone countries should unite to ensure AI technology is accessible across different languages while respecting the cultural identities, civilisations and histories of their member countries.
The discussion also explored practical solutions, including establishing joint research centres and training researchers and AI specialists to develop technologies suited to different national contexts.
Sopheap said improving understanding of AI technology would also help countries address its potential negative impacts.
The third focus was on strengthening the Francophone community’s collective voice in international AI policymaking, particularly at the World AI Summit scheduled to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, next year.
He said Francophone countries should work together to contribute to international policies promoting accessible and inclusive AI development.
“AI should not become a technology developed and controlled solely by just a handful of major corporations,” he said.
FrancoTech 2026, a side event of the Francophonie Summit, brings together high-level government delegations, innovation leaders, experts, technology companies, investors and startups from Francophone countries to exchange knowledge, experiences, cutting-edge technologies and best practices.
The event aims to strengthen economic, technological and investment cooperation while fostering closer connections between Francophone countries and ASEAN.
