Air Liquide, the École normale supérieure and its Foundation announce the creation of a research chair “Artificial intelligence for chemistry and through chemistry”

Air Liquide, the École normale supérieure (ENS-PSL), and the ENS Foundation announce the creation of the “Artificial intelligence for chemistry and through chemistry” research chair, the first research chair launched as part of normalesup.ai, the new interdisciplinary initiative of the École normale supérieure for research, training and innovation in AI.

Artificial intelligence is profoundly transforming the scientific approach. In chemistry, it paves the way for predictive methods to anticipate the properties of molecules, design new materials, and accelerate innovation processes.

The new “Artificial intelligence for chemistry and through chemistry” chair aims to foster new approaches at the intersection of AI, chemistry, and materials science, in order to support scientific discoveries and address the major industrial, technological, energy, and environmental challenges of tomorrow. Based on a multidisciplinary approach, the chair will develop new AI models by combining recent advances in machine learning with fundamental chemical knowledge. The research will notably focus on reducing data requirements, developing models grounded in physico-chemical laws, and encouraging the discovery of new molecules and materials.

Beyond the expected scientific breakthroughs, the chair will contribute to the emergence of a new generation of talent - including students, doctoral candidates, and early-career researchers - at the crossroads of AI and chemistry, in a field that will play a strategic role for the future of research and industry.

For Air Liquide, a world leader in gases, technologies and services for industry and healthcare, AI is a key driver of transformation across its entire value chain, from production to services for its customers and patients, as well as innovation, where it significantly speeds up processes and the time-to-market for new technologies.

Meanwhile, the École normale supérieure launched normalesup.ai in January 2026, an interdisciplinary initiative bringing together ENS researchers working on AI. This approach brings together the School’s expertise in mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, cognitive sciences, and the humanities and social sciences to develop excellence in fundamental research and train a new generation of scientists capable of tackling the challenges posed by AI.

Armelle Levieux, member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee, notably supervising Innovation & Technology activities, stated:

“Artificial intelligence is profoundly shifting scientific and industrial innovation processes. Through this chair, Air Liquide strengthens its collaboration with one of the world’s most renowned academic institutions in the field of AI and enriches its own innovation approach regarding AI applications. The Group is thus accelerating the development of high-impact technologies for industry, electronics, and healthcare.”

Frédéric Worms, Director of the École normale supérieure, explains:

“This chair is the first of its kind at Normalesup.ai and embodies the very heart of this project, dedicated to addressing the challenge of artificial intelligence across all disciplines and in their dialogue with one another - a dialogue that is crucial at the ENS - by developing world-class fundamental research capable of tackling major scientific challenges, ones that social, economic, and industrial stakeholders are fully aware of. By helping to strengthen the link between artificial intelligence and chemistry at the ENS, Air Liquide's support also helps generate new knowledge, train the talents of tomorrow, and bolster independent French research and its international standing.”