Discover the portrait of Marion Carré, laureate of Forbes 30 Under 30 France and Europe and 100 Women of Culture 2022

At Novelis, International Women's Rights Day is an opportunity for us to showcase our exemplary record of supporting women's success in the workplace. We currently have a near 50% gender parity, which is not always common in the tech industry where women often struggle to make their mark.

In line with the women who inspire us daily, we would like to share interviews with female entrepreneurs and CEOs who share their experiences and recommendations for young girls who are the women of tomorrow in tech.

Marion Carré is involved in multiple activities in parallel: as an entrepreneur, teacher, speaker, author, and artist. All these approaches allow her to explore the relationships between art and artificial intelligence from different angles. She is the co-founder and President of Ask Mona. Created in 2017, this innovative company uses artificial intelligence to facilitate the daily lives of cultural professionals and improve the experience of their audiences. Since 2019, she has been teaching a course on art and artificial intelligence at Sciences Po Paris, CELSA - Sorbonne University, and the Conservatoire national des Arts et métiers (CNAM). In 2020, she published a book with Valentin Schmite entitled "Propos sur l'art et l'intelligence artificielle. Artiste en devenir?" published by Éditions l'Art-Dit. She regularly gives talks on the subject of art and artificial intelligence in France and internationally. Marion has developed an artistic practice in which new technologies play an important role. She is the recipient of several awards, including Forbes 30 Under 30 France (2022) and Europe (2023), as well as 100 Women of Culture 2022.

Question 1: What did you want to do when you were a child and what do you do now? 

I wanted to become a journalist for a very long time, long before my internship in 9th grade confirmed this desire. Today, I have multiple hats: I am an entrepreneur, I give lectures, I work on artistic projects, and I have published two essays: the first one about art and AI, and the second one about "NFTs in the art world" which will be released in March. 

In the end, I think that the reasons why I wanted to be a journalist when I was younger are the same reasons why I am happy to do what I do today with Ask Mona and beyond. What I enjoy is transmitting, making knowledge accessible, democratizing and making certain complex subjects accessible... 

Question 2: What difficulties did you encounter to get where you are today? 

The first difficulty that comes to mind can also be an asset: starting young is a chance because you have fewer commitments, but it can also become a burden because you are often taken less seriously, especially as a young woman. As an anecdote, during a meeting to find a new bank with my associate, the banker mistook me for his intern and did not address me during the appointment. I think there is a real issue of being taken seriously as a young woman. 

Question 3 : What advice would you give to your younger self to achieve your dreams?

I think it's important to stay open and curious, but above all follow your instincts, do what you're passionate about, have a taste for effort, and not get discouraged. 

Question 4 : Another piece of advice for young girls who hesitate to pursue a career in science? 

As someone who straddles the fields of AI and culture, it is true that at first, I had a lot of difficulty positioning myself. On the one hand, because there are few women in the field, and on the other hand, because I have a background in humanities. I don't have the classic profile of a tech entrepreneur. 

So, my point would be more general regarding working in tech or AI: we need more women, but also more diverse backgrounds with other types of expertise to think about societal issues from the very beginning of the design process.