Artificial intelligence has been at the heart of ISEN Méditerranée's engineering programs for over five years. Today, these skills are in high demand by companies seeking to improve their performance.
In recent years, AI has grown by leaps and bounds, opening up infinite horizons in fields as varied as robotics, modeling, programming, data management, mathematics and engineering.
At ISEN Méditerranée, we believe that mastering AI is much more than just a subject for study: it's an essential skill for every student, whatever their path through our engineering school.
Why become an artificial intelligence engineer?
Artificial intelligence is an essential tool in all digital and engineering professions. Developing or using AI features offers significant career opportunities.
Engineers who acquire skills in artificial intelligence are therefore guaranteed a high level of employability and the chance to work in a variety of innovative companies.
How to become an AI engineer
A complete curriculum to become a digital engineer at ISEN Méditerranée lasts 5 years: 2 years in a preparatory class then 3 years in the engineering cycle.
ISEN Méditerranée offers two types of preparatory classes:
- General preparatory classes, also known as "Maths Sup/Maths Spé" (MPSI/PSI), are open to high school graduates who have chosen specialized courses in mathematics and science in their junior and senior years and wish to deepen their knowledge to achieve a level of excellence.
- Engineering preparatory classes, which allow you to develop your computer science skills after graduating from high school, while also receiving a solid traditional scientific education in mathematics and physics.
After the preparatory class, the Engineering Cycle lasts 3 years, with a first year of common ground and two years of specialization. Whichever option you choose, artificial intelligence will be an integral part of the curriculum.
Profiles that are more at ease with programming and development, and personalities with an appetite for solving complex problems, will be best suited to work on artificial intelligence.
Exploring artificial intelligence beyond generative AI
During your course you will learn to :
- lead and manage IT projects,
- deploy big data solutions,
- master algorithms and predictive models
- use artificial intelligence tools available on the market.
AI courses and curriculum
In the first year of the engineering cycle, the fundamentals of AI are taught:
- Introduction to artificial neural networks
- Supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms
- The perceptron: artificial neuron and supervised learning algorithm
Once in the Master's programme, the courses go even further:
- Generative AI and large language models (LLM)
- Transformer architecture transformers and language generation
- Large Language Model (LLM) training process
- Understanding the challenges and limitations of generative AI
- Data science, probability and statistics
- Designing a learning model
Many projects carried out during the engineering cycle can also include AI-related issues (Garage Week, Innovation Week...).
Options Embedded Systems, Smart Energy or Connected Objects benefit from courses on implementing and optimizing AI on embedded circuits.
L'e-health option option features specific courses on genetic algorithms.
Our faculty of AI experts
Our teachers are all familiar with artificial intelligence and its use. However, the school's three specialists are :
- Ghislain Oudinetco-director of R&D at ISEN Méditerranée, who, in addition to his teaching duties, carries out work for industry, notably on projects linked to the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence.
- Florian Sananes teaches computer science and algorithms in a number of programming languages (C, Python, Java...) and works with industrial companies on projects in the field of artificial intelligence.
- Rihem Farkh is an expert in the field of automatic control and robotics, using genetic algorithms, machine learning and embedded artificial intelligence.
- Iyad Zaarour has been an artificial intelligence specialist since 2004. An expert in Bayesian networks and AI explainability, he has gradually expanded his research to various fields of application: finance, healthcare, energy, maritime, tourism, and more recently, secure embedded systems.
The advantages of ISEN
ISEN offers a very attractive study environment, on human-sized campuses in Toulon and MarseilleWe offer a wide range of courses in cutting-edge fields (cybersecurity, e-health, robotics, software development, smart energy). Our students thrive in a friendly atmosphere, and can develop their skills throughout their studies while easily integrating into the professional world.
Part of the curriculum can be completed on a work-study basis, enabling students to earn a salary, pay no tuition fees (paid by their company) and start their professional life very quickly.
ISEN Méditerranée is a member of the Conférence des Grandes Écoles (CGE) and is accredited by the Commission des titres d'ingénieur, which guarantees that the training offered is recognized by the French government and meets the highest standards of quality and academic rigor.
Graduates of ISEN Méditerranée have an average salary of over €40,000 and a professional integration rate of almost 100% 5 months after graduation.
How do I apply for the IA program?
Our programs are accessible via Parcoursup after high school graduation or through parallel admission after a first cycle of training (BTS, BUT, etc.). You can find all the admission requirements on our dedicated page.
Careers and salaries in the field of AI
Our training programs provide access to a wide range of careers in the field of artificial intelligence, such as:
Linguistic Programming Engineer.
Average annual salary for a junior profile: €30-40,000.
Average annual salary for an experienced profile: >40,000€.
Data Engineer/Data Scientist/Data Consultant/Data Analyst.
Average annual salary for a junior profile: €35-45,000.
Average salary for an experienced profile: €60-80,000.
DataOps engineer.
Average annual salary for a junior profile: €38-50,000.
Average salary for an experienced profile: €55-80,000.
AI Engineer/AI Developer.
Average annual salary for a junior profile: €36-45,000.
Average annual salary for an experienced profile: €60-80,000.
Data Protection Officer (DPO).
Average annual salary for a junior profile: €38-45,000.
Average annual salary for an experienced profile: €55-85,000.
Machine Learning Engineer.
Average annual salary for a junior profile: €40-50,000.
Average annual salary for an experienced profile: €60-90,000.
Based on PageGroup data, the salaries shown correspond to fixed salaries (gross, excluding bonuses and benefits) for positions in the Paris region.
More general skills in development and programming cut across a wide range of professions where there is a shortage of talent, and therefore enable a high degree of professional mobility.
Questions about AI?
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science that aims to design systems capable of performing tasks normally associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, recognizing images, or understanding language. These systems work by using algorithms and analyzing large amounts of data to identify patterns and make decisions or produce results.
Artificial intelligence is now used in many fields, such as voice recognition, virtual assistants, content recommendation, medicine, industry, and autonomous vehicles. It relies in particular on techniques such as machine learning and deep learning, which enable machines to improve their performance based on experience and data.
Generative artificial intelligence has been popularized in recent years by OpenAI and its ChatGPT program. Although it has become an essential tool, it constitutes only a (significant) part of AI usage.
How to use AI tools?
Artificial intelligence has become a ubiquitous technology in our society, transforming the way we work, communicate, and live. Machine learning algorithms power search engines, recommend products, aid decision-making, and optimize industrial processes. AI applications also extend to the fields of healthcare, education, and finance, offering accurate and predictive medical diagnoses, personalized learning, and improved risk management. In short, the use cases for artificial intelligence seem endless and will significantly change our professional environment.
AI also raises ethical concerns, particularly with regard to data privacy and algorithmic bias. Its development and deployment must therefore be guided by ethical principles and appropriate governance. These are concepts that we emphasize in the school's various programs.
How can you best learn about AI?
Training in artificial intelligence can be done in different ways, depending on your level of education and career plans. In higher education, artificial intelligence is generally studied in computer science, applied mathematics, or data science programs, offered in particular at universities and engineering schools.
Institutions such as ISEN Méditerranée offer courses in which AI, machine learning, and data science are integrated into the engineering program. It is also possible to study AI through bachelor's degrees, specialized master's degrees, or shorter online courses.
In all cases, acquiring a solid foundation in programming, mathematics, and algorithms is essential for understanding and developing artificial intelligence systems. Engineering schools are therefore an excellent choice for developing cutting-edge expertise in this constantly evolving sector.
How can you finance your AI training? (CPF, work-study program, scholarship, etc.)
There are several ways to finance an education at ISEN Méditerranée. One of the most common solutions is a work-study program, where students divide their time between school and a company. In this case, the company covers tuition fees and the student also receives a monthly salary, which allows them to finance their studies while gaining professional experience in fields such as AI, software development, or cybersecurity.
Another option is to apply for scholarships or financial aid. Students can, for example, apply for a CROUS scholarship based on their social situation, or sometimes obtain internal scholarships offered by the school to support students with good results or financial difficulties.Discover the scholarships offered by ISEN.
Finally, adults who are changing careers or employees can use their Personal Training Account (CPF) to finance certain professional training courses. Job seekers can also obtain funding through France Travail, which can cover part or all of the training costs depending on the professional project and the available programs.
How is AI created?
Creating artificial intelligence involves designing a computer system capable of learning from data and making decisions or generating responses. In practice, this usually involves several steps: defining the problem to be solved (e.g., recognizing images or answering questions), collecting and preparing data that will be used to train the model, choosing a machine learning method, and then training a model with tools such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
The most advanced models often use deep learning and are programmed in Python, which is the most common language in this field. Once the model has been trained, it must be tested, improved, and deployed in an application (website, mobile app, robot, etc.). Systems such as ChatGPT are the result of this process, but on a very large scale, with enormous amounts of data and computing power.
What is prompt engineering?
Prompt engineering is the practice of effectively designing and formulating instructions given to artificial intelligence in order to obtain more accurate, useful, and tailored responses to the user's needs. A prompt is simply the question or instruction sent to the AI model, and prompt engineering involves choosing the right words, providing context, specifying the format of the response, and sometimes assigning a role to the AI.
This method is used to get the most out of AI tools such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and Midjourney, and it improves the quality of results in a variety of tasks such as text writing, code generation, image creation, and information analysis.
Discover the various training programs incorporating AI:
