What if knowledge were passed on the other way round? That is the bold question posed by the SME AI Spring event. On 16 June 2026 at the Eiffel Campus in Paris, OMNES Education brought together business leaders, experts and students to take on an unexpected challenge: to make young people the best ambassadors for artificial intelligence amongst SMEs in the Île-de-France region. A challenge that was largely met.
AI Spring: one day, two highlights
The day was divided into two complementary sessions, designed to combine open-mindedness with immediate practical application.
A keynote speech to open up new possibilities.
Organised in partnership with BFM Business and Onepoint, this conference brought together a number of key players from the business and academic worlds to discuss one central question: how can the potential of AI be turned into practical, operational applications for SMEs?
Far removed from the grand technological demonstrations that are often disconnected from the day-to-day reality of business, the discussions focused on real-world use cases: sales prospecting, automated reporting, data analysis and content creation.
Reverse mentoring, the cornerstone of the event.
Reverse mentoring is a practice in which younger people (in this case, our students) pass on their expertise to those with more experience. It is a deliberate reversal of roles, designed to enhance the group’s skills.
For three hours, carefully selected students from ECE, INSEEC MSc and Sup de Pub led practical workshops for executives, managers and senior leaders. The usual order of the session was deliberately reversed. With remarkable effectiveness.
Sup de Pub students and alumni at the heart of the action
Among the workshops that left a lasting impression, those led by Sup de Pub students and alumni embodied what the school stands for on a daily basis: a teaching approach rooted in the real world and geared towards practical professional applications.
Workshop: ‘How to generate content using AI: The key tools you need’
Anthony LAMBOURDIERE and Corentin RACINE, alumni and former members of the La Fabrik incubator, led this workshop, which enabled the business leaders in attendance to discover the best methods and tools for producing content more effectively.
A subject area at the heart of the communications sector, where Sup de Pub has long been training professionals capable of combining creativity with high performance.
Workshop: ‘Everything you need to know about AI prompts’
Led by Oihana BIDERMANN and Marie DUBOUILH, Master’s students at Sup de Pub, this workshop guided participants through the art of prompt writing. This new and crucial skill determines the quality of the results obtained using generative AI.
Mastering the right prompt is now synonymous with harnessing a direct driver of productivity. Participants praised not only the quality of the content, but also the clarity and our students’ ability to make AI accessible and useful, regardless of their prior familiarity with the subject.
It was a bit stressful at first because we didn’t know what sort of business we’d be working with. In the end, it went really well. We had managers and directors from SMEs with us who were very friendly.
Marie Dubouilh & Oihana Bidermann, students at Sup de Pub
Sup de Pub’s teaching methods put to the test in the real world
It is essential to train students to use AI as a genuine driver of performance.
Etienne PORTEAUX – Chief Executive of Sup de Pub
What the SME AI Spring event revealed goes far beyond simply being a great day out. It says something fundamental about the way Sup de Pub approaches training.
Sup de Pub’s vision is clear: to train students who, with the help of AI, are more creative, more effective and better prepared for the challenges of the future. To provide our students with a broad general knowledge and encourage them to develop their curiosity and critical thinking skills, thereby enhancing and enriching their interactions with AI.
Beyond technical skills, the day offered Sup de Pub students a rare opportunity: to engage directly with SME leaders, discover real-world case studies from the field, and expand their professional network by interacting with experts. This is a valuable springboard, at a time when SMEs represent the primary source of employment for the school’s graduates.
This is not just for show. It is an educational reality. When students still in training lead workshops in front of SME managers, this clearly demonstrates that the education they are receiving is directly in tune with the needs of the market.
It is also worth noting that the event itself was conceived and led by Ludivine ROMARY, a Sup de Pub alumna, who coordinated the group’s teams, partners and speakers. This is a powerful symbol of what the school’s graduates are capable of achieving once they are out in the field.
Managers, students: key takeaways for taking action
The SME AI Spring is not just a wonderful occasion to celebrate: it opens up practical avenues for both students and professionals.
If you are a director or manager in an SME:
- Identify two or three repetitive tasks in your daily routine (reporting, writing, research): AI can save you several hours a week, starting today.
- Learn how to use the prompt. It’s not a skill reserved for technicians: it’s a communication skill that anyone can master.
- Open up your business to students. They’re familiar with tools you haven’t yet explored, and they know how to pass on that knowledge.
If you’re a student at Sup de Pub:
- Your proficiency in AI tools is already a professional asset. Don’t underestimate it.
- The ability to explain things in simple terms and communicate effectively is just as important as technical expertise itself. Work on developing this skill.
- Look for opportunities to put your knowledge to use in businesses: reverse mentoring is one example, but there are others.
The SME AI Spring event demonstrated something important: the gap between the grand promises of AI and the reality faced by businesses can be bridged! And it is often the younger generation who are building that bridge. Between the keynote speeches and workshops, seeing the smiles on the executives’ faces as they left the rooms, this conviction emerged quite naturally.
See you in 2027 for the second edition!
Bonus content
Download our brochure
Find out all about our programmes and campuses.
