On October 16th, Seewhy Partners hold its annual event, on the following topic: “Is your board up to speed for the next tech innnovations?” The 130 enthusiast participants appreciated the energetic interventions of both keynote speakers. Please find a short summary of the key messages to remember from that evening.
Jean-Charles Samuelian, Founder & CEO of Alan, co-founder of Mistral AI
Generative AI is reshaping the way we think, work, and live — at a pace never seen before. At the same time, humanoid robotics are advancing rapidly, powered by these very technologies. Together, they are driving an unprecedented acceleration of change and fueling fierce global competition. The race for AI leadership — between the US, China, and Europe — has become a question of technological sovereignty: who will lead the future?
Jean-Charles illustrated how companies can approach AI transformation strategically and effectively, and the case of Alan is a wonderful example.
A few guiding principles to get started:
- Learn by doing: Understand and experiment with AI tools yourself. First-hand experience will expand your sense of what’s possible.
- Think holistically: Reimagine every line of your P&L through the lens of AI —
- The sales of tomorrow
- The customer service of tomorrow
- The legal department of tomorrow
- …and beyond.
- Augment every skillset: Identify the AI agents that can support or enhance each function.
- Unleash creativity: Explore new business models and services made possible by AI.
- Assess your position: Map your competitors’ use of AI — are your assets and capabilities strong enough to keep up?
Finally, leadership by example is essential. When Boards and executive teams actively use AI and demonstrate its value, they send a powerful signal across the organization. Encourage and reward your teams for experimenting, learning, and innovating with AI — that’s how transformation truly takes root.
Dominique Bourrat, Founder of Quantonomics
Dominique framed quantum computing not as an evolution, but a revolution reshaping competitiveness across sectors. Quantum computing represents the missing piece to fully unlock the power of AI and big data, enabling breakthroughs in logistics, finance, drug discovery, climate modelling, just to name a few. Hybrid IT systems (classical + quantum) are already a reality, and while large-scale quantum computing remains in development, progress is accelerating exponentially. Europe currently holds 44% of global quantum patents and does substantial public investment, yet risks falling behind the U.S. and China.
The approaching “Q-Day”, now estimated for 2028, will mark the point when quantum computers can break today’s cryptography. This creates a pressing security threat for all businesses: data intercepted today may be decrypted – and misused – within a few years. Migrating to post-quantum cryptography is a multi-year transformation involving massive system audits, vendor coordination, and new risk management frameworks. Boards must ensure PQC migration is embedded in their business plans, supported by automation, quantum-risk scoring, and agile cryptographic infrastructure.
For boards and CEOs, quantum computing is now both a risk and a strategic growth lever. Dominique urged leaders to:
- Integrate PQC readiness and AI/quantum model governance into strategic plans.
- Set clear KPIs for AI-quantum integration, including risk appetite and insurance coverage for model failures.
- Support European start-ups and research to secure Europe’s leadership in the emerging quantum economy.
- Promote experimentation through pilot use cases and simulation labs to prepare talent and refine regulatory, ethical, and interoperability frameworks.
Our conclusion: AI and Quantum Computing together will redefine competitive advantage — but only for organizations that begin preparing now and see the opportunities. The message was clear: invest in capabilities, start the migration, update your risk cartography, and unleash the potential of these technological innovations.
LINKEDIN POST
✨ @Seewhy Partners recently hosted an exclusive event for board members and CEO’s, exploring how AI and quantum computing are transforming strategy, governance, and competitiveness.
🚀 AI and quantum computing: two revolutions shaping the future.
🤖 @Jean-Charles Samuelian, Founder & CEO of Alan, and co-founder of Mistral AI, shed light on how Generative AI is transforming how we think and work – faster than any innovation before.
To stay ahead, every company must:
- rethink each business line with AI
- empower teams to test, learn and adopt AI tools, and lead by example – when boards and executives use AI, they set the tone for the entire organization.
He reminded us how AI brings both risks and opportunities for companies. While it’s essential to address the risks, it will be those who embrace the opportunities who ultimately thrive.
⚛️ @Dominique Bourrat, Founder of Quantonomics, showed that quantum computing is not an evolution but a revolution. It’s the missing piece to fully unleash AI and big data – boosting precision, security, and energy efficiency.
Her call to action for boards: embed post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and AI-quantum governance into strategic plans, prepare for the moment when quantum computers could break current encryption, and support European innovation to ensure we lead the next technological era.
💡 The takeaways from both speakers were clear:
AI and quantum computing are redefining leadership. Boards and CEOs must stay up to date, experiment, adapt and act now to secure Europe’s position in this new global race.
This was an @Seewhy Partners’ event, together with @Pascale Simon, @William Mosseray, @Anne-Sophie Pycke and @Caroline Thijssen
#BoardGovernance #Innovation #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork #AI #QuantumComputing #Leadership


