Mistral AI pushes growth with new funding and global deals

Le Chat, Mistral AI’s chatbot, reached one million downloads in two weeks, topping France’s iOS App Store.
Mistral AI, the French startup behind the chatbot Le Chat, is fast emerging as Europe’s leading rival to OpenAI.

Founded in 2023 by ex-Google DeepMind and Meta researchers, Mistral has quickly gained global attention with its open-source models and consumer app, which hit one million downloads within two weeks of launch.

Mistral AI is now seeking fresh funding at a reported $14 billion valuation, more than double its worth just a year ago. Its investors include Microsoft, Nvidia, Cisco, and Bpifrance, and it has signed partnerships with AFP, Stellantis, Orange, and France’s army.

Its growing suite of models spans large language, audio, coding, and reasoning systems, while its enterprise tools integrate with services such as Asana and Google Drive. French president Emmanuel Macron has openly endorsed the firm, framing it as a strategic alternative to US dominance in AI.

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