AI Assistant in Teams: What French SMBs Must Check

A French SMB can roll out amaiko in Microsoft Teams and stay GDPR-compliant, provided it signs the data processing agreement before the first test. From 50 employees, the CSE (the French works council) also has to be consulted before the tool reaches the teams, and a court has already counted a pilot as a rollout.

Where do French SMBs stand with AI?

In 2025, 18% of companies with 10 or more people based in France reported using at least one artificial intelligence technology, up from 6% in 2023, according to Insee Première no. 2120, published in July 2026. Among firms with 10 to 49 employees the rate drops to 15%, while it reaches 58% above 250 employees.

For most small and mid-sized companies, the first rollout is still ahead of them. France Num publishes four practical guides, produced with the CPME and the CNIL (the French data protection authority), on using generative AI in small businesses and SMBs, from choosing a tool to precautions in daily use. As early as July 2024 the CNIL recommended starting from a specific need and training users before any rollout. In my view those are the two most useful pieces of advice.

What does GDPR require before you switch the assistant on?

The provider of an AI assistant processes personal data on your behalf, which makes it a processor within the meaning of Article 28 GDPR. Paragraph 3 sets out the minimum content of the contract. Sign it before the first test with real data.

The record of processing activities is the second point. Article 30(5) exempts organizations with fewer than 250 employees, unless the processing poses a risk to people’s rights, is not occasional or involves sensitive data. An assistant used every day in Teams is anything but occasional. Put it in the record, even with 20 employees.

That leaves informing employees, which depends on no threshold at all. Article L1222-4 of the Code du travail, the French Labour Code, is short and allows no exceptions: « Aucune information concernant personnellement un salarié ne peut être collectée par un dispositif qui n’a pas été porté préalablement à sa connaissance. » (No personal information about an employee may be collected by a system that was not brought to their attention beforehand.) A one-page internal memo, sent before launch, settles the matter.

Can the data be hosted in Germany?

Yes. Germany is part of the Union, and GDPR Chapter V, which governs transfers, targets third countries. Hosting in Germany therefore needs neither standard contractual clauses nor an adequacy decision.

According to its security page, amaiko stores data on its own infrastructure in Germany, separate from Microsoft’s servers, and AI processing takes place in the EU. Data only leaves the EU if you expressly book that option. To compare with other hosting models, read Which AI Assistants Really Host in Germany?

For teams that want to rule out any non-EU option, amaiko liberté makes sovereignty a permanent choice. Here is how the two editions compare:

Criterion	amaiko	amaiko liberté
AI models	GPT-6, hosted in the EU	Mistral only
AI processing	in the EU, outside the EU only if expressly booked	every token in the EU
Image generation	included	not available
Voice mode	one voice in five languages	European provider
Annual price, 5 to 199 seats	€499 per user	€499 per user

When does the CSE have to be consulted?

Article L2312-8 requires the employer to inform and consult the CSE on « l’introduction de nouvelles technologies » (the introduction of new technologies). It sits in the section of the Code du travail covering companies with at least fifty employees. Below that threshold, Article L1222-4 quoted above still applies.

Courts have already classed AI as a new technology. On 2 September 2025 the tribunal judiciaire (civil court) of Paris (no. 25/53278) suspended a tool rolled out to 800 employees without consultation, holding that « il est manifeste qu’une technologie faisant appel à l’IA est une technologie nouvelle » (it is obvious that a technology relying on AI is a new technology) (Lefebvre Dalloz analysis). In Nanterre, on 14 February 2025 (no. 24/01457), the court had already ruled that a pilot running for months, with employees already using the tools, was no longer an experiment but a first implementation (Lamy Liaisons analysis). It suspended the rollout until the consultation was complete.

For an SMB of 60 people, the consequence is concrete. Consult the CSE before opening the pilot to the first team, even if the trial only involves five people.

How do you run a pilot without missteps?

The amaiko trial lasts 14 days, for up to 5 users. You sign in with your Microsoft 365 work account or your company email and register a payment method. Nothing is charged during the trial, and if you cancel before it ends, you pay nothing. Access to email, calendar and files in Microsoft 365 needs your administrator’s consent once, according to the FAQ on the pricing page.

For the employee memo, describe how the tool actually works. amaiko acts with each user’s Microsoft 365 permissions and sees only what that person can see. The knowledge it retains is personal, shared with a team or shared with the whole company, and team membership is checked on every access. Every user can have it correct what it has retained, or remove it so amaiko no longer uses it. How this memory works is explained in detail in Which Microsoft Teams-compatible AI assistant has organizational memory?

After the trial, amaiko costs €499 per user per year with annual billing, which is €41.58 per month, or €49.90 per user per month with monthly billing. From 200 seats the price drops to €399 per year (€33.25 per month) or €39.90 per month. amaiko is available from 5 seats, and the annual plan gives you two months free. For 10 users, the annual invoice comes to €4,990.

The ROI calculator shows you in two minutes what this means for your team. If you would rather walk through the contract, the record and the CSE memo with someone who has done it before, book a demo.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Can an SMB use an AI assistant hosted in Germany?

Yes. Germany is part of the European Union, so the GDPR Chapter V rules on transfers to third countries do not apply. The data processing agreement required by Article 28 is still mandatory.

Does the AI assistant have to go into the record of processing activities?

In practice, yes. Article 30(5) GDPR only exempts organizations with fewer than 250 employees if the processing is occasional, poses no risk to individuals and involves no sensitive data. An assistant used every day is not occasional.

Does the CSE have to be consulted before a pilot?

From 50 employees, that is the safe course. On 14 February 2025 the tribunal judiciaire of Nanterre ruled that a pilot running for months, with employees already using the tools, counted as a first implementation, and suspended the rollout until the consultation was complete.

What do employees need to be told before launch?

Article L1222-4 of the Code du travail prohibits collecting personal information about an employee through a system that was not presented to them beforehand. So explain which data amaiko accesses with each user’s Microsoft 365 permissions.

What is the difference between amaiko and amaiko liberté?

amaiko liberté uses Mistral models only and processes every token in the EU, permanently. It costs the same as amaiko; image generation is not available.

What does amaiko cost for an SMB?

€499 per user per year, which is €41.58 per month, or €49.90 with monthly billing, from 5 seats.

Can we try amaiko before signing?

Yes, for 14 days and up to 5 users. You sign in with your Microsoft 365 work account or your company email and add a payment method, but nothing is charged during the trial.