Microsoft Announces Strategic Partnership with Mistral AI of France

Microsoft on Monday announced a new partnership with Mistral AI, a startup from France for developing and delivering Artificial Intelligence products. The move is aimed at reducing Microsoft’s dependence on OpenAi and its AI tool, ChatGPT-4, among others, for future offerings worldwide.

Mistral AI was founded in 2023 and since, has launched Mistral Large, a closed AI tool that Microsoft plans to offer through Microsoft’s Azure platform while collaborating with Amazon and Google Cloud. Mistral AI has also attracted a small investment from Microsoft, according to news agencies.

The France-based startup was launched by former Google and Meta researchers. The founders are also lobbying against restrictive regulations that the European Union might enforce considering the adverse impact of AI over user data privacy and other concerns.

EU regulators are working currently on what’s now known as the Artificial Intelligence Act. Though many details of the proposed regulations aren’t known for obvious reasons, AI developers are trying to impress that AI wouldn’t impact users in the EU in any adverse way.

They’re continuing to lobby against what could be harsh restrictions and limitations over widespread use of AI tools in the EU zone.

Meanwhile, Mistral AI has declined any comment on its AI tool, Mistral Large, according to news agencies.