Mistral AI Partners with Telcos for European AI Sovereignty

Barcelona, Spain—Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch said the European artificial intelligence company is collaborating with telecommunications firms to adapt network infrastructure for AI-driven content delivery.

Mensch said during a keynote session at the Mobile World Congress that Mistral AI develops foundational AI models for enterprise and consumer applications.

The company has established partnerships with Orange and Free in France, focusing on three key areas: 

• Adapting network infrastructure for personalized content delivery, 
• Creating distribution partnerships for consumer-facing AI assistants 
• Educing operational costs for infrastructure maintenance.

"AI is going to have a lot of implications on networks, in the sense that we are going to have streams of information that are more and more personalized," Mensch said.

Mistral AI is building data centers in France, citing the country's energy grid, prices, and technical capabilities. 

Mensch suggested that telecommunications companies could use their fiber infrastructure to build AI-focused data centers.

"To build a proper data center for AI, you need three things. You need the electrons, you need the fibers, and you need the chips. Telcos already have the fibers," he said.

Mensch noted that European companies are reducing reliance on U.S. technology. He identified economic, cultural, and strategic concerns about European AI sovereignty.

Regarding regulation, Mensch said the EU AI Act "came a little too early and is too focused on the technology side." He stated that regulation is not the company's primary concern.

Mensch said that for the next two years, Mistral AI will focus on enabling AI systems to learn from enterprise expertise.

The company aims to support European industries such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and automotive with AI technology.