Inter-Tech policy and other differences between Washington and Paris are constraining the ability of the ministers to smooth the process for the G7 heads of state meeting in eastern France’s Evian from June 15 to 17.

Paris was unable to bring the United States aboard a joint declaration at last year’s AI summit with 160 other countries.

As the meeting began, France’s digital minister, Anne Le Henanff, said she hoped it would result in a declaration on child protection by the end of the day.

But Finance Minister Roland Lescure said he expected different points of view on “the challenge of using resources efficiently for AI”.

AI firms’ growing pursuit of computing capacity is driving demand for energy to power data centres, as well as gobbling up rare raw materials for many of the high-end chips required.

The finance ministry reported it was even the name of the work area – “environmental impact of digital technology” – that was “a red line” for the American side. Now it is referred to as “enabling digital sector resilience and performance”.

The detailed results of the talks capping months of negotiations will be unveiled at a Friday afternoon press conference.

The participants will be developing common terms for child protection, AI security and governance, and making AI ubiquitous in the economies, particularly in SMEs.