France: Competition Authority published report on competition-related issues concerning impact of artificial intelligence

On 17 December 2025, the Competition Authority published a report on competition-related issues concerning the energy and environmental impact of artificial intelligence (AI). In the report, the Authority examined the electricity consumption of data centres and the environmental impact of AI in relation to resources such as water, rare metals, and land. On the basis of these findings, the Authority points out three competition-related issues, namely access to energy and its cost control, the emergence of AI frugality as a competitive factor, and the ongoing standardisation of the environmental footprint in relation to AI. The Authority noted the importance of reliable environmental data and pointed to the role of standards in enabling such data. The Authority stated that it considered the report to be a continuation of its market inquiry into the generative artificial intelligence sector.