Industrial gas major Air Liquide has partnered with the École Normale Supérieure (ENS-PSL) and ENS Foundation to establish a research programme focused on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to chemistry and materials science.
The “Artificial Intelligence for Chemistry and through Chemistry” partnership was announced on September 14 and is the first research programme launched under ENS’ Normalesup.ai initiative, which was established in January 2026.
The programme will bring together AI, chemistry and materials science to develop new approaches aimed at accelerating scientific discovery and addressing industrial, technological, energy and environmental challenges.
Research will focus on reducing the amount of data required by AI models, developing models grounded in physicochemical laws, and accelerating the discovery of new molecules and materials.
The initiative will also support the training of students, doctoral candidates and young researchers working at the intersection of AI and chemistry.
Armelle Levieux, a member of Air Liquide’s Executive Committee overseeing Innovation and Technology activities, said the initiative would strengthen the company’s collaboration with ENS while contributing to its innovation strategy.
“AI is profoundly shifting scientific and industrial innovation processes,” she added. “The Group is accelerating the development of high-impact technologies for industry, electronics, and healthcare.”
This was echoed by ENS Director Frédéric Worms, who said the programme “embodies the very heart” of the Normalesup.ai project.
“[The chair addresses] the challenge of AI across all disciplines and in their dialogues with one another – a dialogue that is crucial at the ENS – by developing world-class fundamental research.”
AI moves into healthcare
Air Liquide has also been applying AI to its healthcare activities, particularly in the management of patients receiving respiratory care at home.
In June, the company secured a four-year in Spain’s Valencia region covering more than 90,000 respiratory patients. The programme includes predictive AI algorithms designed to identify high-risk sleep apnea patients and those who may be at risk of discontinuing treatment.
The system analyses data from patients’ respiratory devices, allowing healthcare teams to prioritise patients who may require additional intervention and adapt support alongside physicians.
The Valencia contract followed a with the Community of Madrid covering around 70,000 respiratory patients.
Electronics demand
AI is also contributing to growth in Air Liquide’s electronics business, with the company reporting more than in electronics project decisions during the first half of 2026.
Air Liquide said almost all of the new projects were driven by AI-related demand, with the latest generation of semiconductor fabs requiring greater volumes of increasingly high-purity industrial and specialty gases.
The company has said AI-focused chip production is increasing the “gas intensity” of new fabs, particularly those manufacturing advanced chips for high-bandwidth memory and AI logic applications.
Air Liquide’s electronics business recorded 10% year-on-year growth in the second quarter, supported by carrier gas start-ups and ramp-ups in China and Taiwan.
