The 8th Territorial Economic Meetings took place this Friday at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in Biot. The Mayor of Antibes-Juan-Les-Pins and President of the Sophia Antipolis Agglomeration Community, Jean Leonetti, was present, as well as Jean-Pierre Savarino, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), and Philippe Renaudi, President of the UPE 06.
The program for these meetings included two round tables led by several speakers. The two themes discussed were the future of territorial planning in Sophia Antipolis and artificial intelligence. Here are some figures to understand the importance and economic weight of the area:
- Sophia recruits 1,000 jobs per year
- 35% of companies have more than 50 employees
- The area dedicated to commercial activities increased from 23,000 square meters in 2015 to 33,000 square meters in the first quarter of 2018
- A turnover of more than 5 billion euros.
Needless to say, Sophia Antipolis has experienced very strong development in recent years. While the site is almost devoid of the headquarters of large companies, it attracts many start-ups, particularly in the field of new technologies. Today, the main challenge is to reorganize the heart of Sophia to give it territorial clarity. Soon, 70,000 people will be working on-site, highlighting the importance of planning new infrastructures. The CCI is considering, for instance, the issue of mobility. Sophia suffers from severe congestion at certain times due to the numerous vehicles. Alternative solutions are being discussed to allow greater traffic fluidity (carpooling, autonomous vehicles, public transport). Jean Leonetti also addressed the often-criticized urbanization of Sophia by stating that 35,000 square meters of projects had been frozen. According to him, the area is still composed of 90% green spaces.
Some ideas were suggested to improve the daily lives of employees, such as promoting remote work, which is still too timid in companies. Jean Leonetti also mentioned the idea of building housing within Sophia Antipolis, thereby reducing home-to-work commutes. A call is made for a reflection on working hours. This notion might seem outdated in the tertiary sector which relies heavily on efficiency. However, Sophia Antipolis is populated with companies that provide services. The debate is underway.
The second round table was dedicated to artificial intelligence, which affects almost all sectors of activity today. The speakers talked extensively about a certain ethics of algorithms, a theme at the heart of current events in recent years. “We must never prevent ourselves from making discoveries. It is up to humans to choose whether or not to apply them. It must always be in the human interest,” declared Jean Leonetti.
