FutuRGen Insight – ”AI: the new frontier of the automotive revolution”

In a world where innovation accelerates daily, artificial intelligence (AI) has become the cornerstone of discussions, conferences, and strategies. It dominates conversations and speeches alike: "AI will change everything," "AI, the key to the future," "AI will revolutionize the automotive industry." Yet, I can’t help but smile at how often AI is reduced to a buzzword—fascinating but still too abstract to truly be harnessed in the reality of business.

This doesn’t surprise me. At first glance, AI seems more at home in science fiction than in day-to-day operations. But beneath the allure of theoretical discourse lies a significant challenge: how to turn this technological promise into a tangible lever for acceleration and agility, driving real-world business performance.

Artificial intelligence represents a revolution on par with the advent of the Internet in reshaping our societies and industries. Today, this omnipresent technology offers immense opportunities and serves as a powerful driver of innovation and value creation. At Renault Group, we see AI as Augmented Intelligence, a way to focus on high-value activities while fully leveraging its unique potential. AI isn’t just transforming the way we work; it’s redefining our roles, reshaping our daily operations, and propelling us into the future.

AI: a strategic lever for Renault Group’s transformation

At Renault Group, AI is already deeply transforming every link in our value chain, enhancing our agility and accelerating our adaptability in an ever-changing environment. AI allows us to anticipate, simulate, and act with precision, making our operations more agile in an ever-evolving industry. Through AI, we’ve implemented a global, integrated system that enables us to anticipate, simulate, and respond with heightened precision to the complex challenges shaping the automotive industry.

Our digital transformation, initiated in 2017, is built on three foundational levels. First, the physical world serves as the starting point, where we gather vast amounts of data. This information is then utilized in digital twins—virtual replicas of the company that allow us to simulate and predict various scenarios. Finally, we’ve integrated the Industrial Metaverse—an immersive virtual environment where analysis, simulation, and forecasting become actionable tools that drive our strategy and operational agility.

From data collection to augmented intelligence: a 360° approach

For AI to serve as a truly effective engine, it requires data—vast quantities of high-quality data. Over the past few years, we’ve built a robust infrastructure for data collection and structuring, creating a rich, scalable data foundation. This approach has positioned Renault Group as one of the first automotive manufacturers to deploy AI on a large scale with a comprehensive, 360° integrated strategy.

We’ve developed digital twins to optimize processes across key domains, including engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain management. These tools enable proactive action by identifying inefficiencies and simulating scenarios, allowing us to adjust processes before issues arise in the real world.

An innovation ecosystem: partnering with technology leaders

AI doesn’t develop in isolation. That’s why we’ve chosen to build our ecosystem in collaboration with leading industry partners. Our long-standing allies, such as Google and Microsoft, are at the forefront of AI innovation and support us in creating increasingly advanced solutions. Simultaneously, we work closely with companies like Dassault Systèmes, SAP, and Salesforce, whose AI-powered functionalities enhance our ecosystem with world-class solutions.

Renault Group: placing humans at the core of Augmented Intelligence

The true value of AI lies in its ability to amplify human capabilities. As such, training our employees to use AI is a top priority. Beyond technology, AI’s real value lies in amplifying human capabilities and transforming how we work every day. We’ve launched GenAI@Renault, our proprietary generative AI tool, accessible to all employees to assist them in adopting this technology. Today, we have provided more than 50,000 employees with AI training and 15,000 people are already using GenAI@Renault. Additionally, through ReKnow University, we’ve introduced a comprehensive training program to ensure our employees can understand the stakes and harness AI’s full potential in their daily work.

In our vehicles, AI is already a reality. Through advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and our RENO avatar, we provide customers with a safer, smoother, and more intuitive driving experience. These technologies enhance not only safety but also customer satisfaction by delivering tailored, ever-evolving solutions.

Our ambition: making Renault Group the first AI-powered automotive manufacturer

Today, our ambition is clear: to make Renault Group the first automotive manufacturer fully powered by artificial intelligence. This vision goes far beyond integrating isolated technologies. AI is at the core of our strategy—a true lever to transform our company and accelerate our ability to meet market demands while maintaining competitiveness. It represents not just an opportunity for reinvention but a strategic asset to continually push the boundaries of what we can achieve.

AI is no longer a promise—it’s a reality. It is our new frontier, our accelerator toward a future where performance, agility, and innovation are at the heart of every decision, every project, and every customer interaction. In this era of augmented intelligence, we are ready to lead the transformation and drive the automotive industry toward new horizons. The future is here, and it’s powered by AI.