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Is AI serving wood professionals?

A venue for major events, the Grand Palais is preparing to host the 14th edition of the now-traditional Forum Bois Construction. But before opening its doors to wood professionals, specifiers, and fit-out specialists, the famed Paris monument—freshly renovated—was taken over in early February by AI experts during an international summit organized by France*.

On everyone’s lips today, artificial intelligence—whether we like it or not—has become part of our daily lives. In our smartphones, our emails, and our web searches; at home through smart-home systems or robot vacuums; on the road thanks to navigation assistants… AI surrounds us and helps streamline our days.

And in the professional sphere? Barely present a decade ago, AI in service of the forest-wood sector now touches many aspects of the trade: optimizing cutting, species identification, defect detection, forest mapping, monitoring stand evolution and health, risk prevention, improving logistics, automated design and machining, predictive maintenance… From very small businesses to large industrial groups, most professionals now use AI to some degree. And this trend should accelerate in the years ahead, driven by the modernization and substantial investments underway across France’s forest-wood industry to make it even more attractive and competitive.

It’s up to each of us to get on board with this new growth lever—without going off the rails. How? By getting informed and trained through sector-specific programs; by talking with peers and learning from their feedback; and by looking beyond our borders, to countries or industries where AI is already well established, so we can take the best and avoid the worst. AI is very much here; it’s up to all of us to learn how to master it!

Adèle Cazier