Microsoft and Parisian startup Mistral AI have agreed on a partnership

Microsoft and Parisian startup Mistral AI have signed a partnership agreement to jointly develop and expand access to Mistral’s artificial intelligence products. The agreement will use Azure infrastructure to support Mistral’s research and deliver new models to customers around the world.

However, Microsoft’s investment in Mistral is attracting interest from European Union regulators. An EU official said regulators will be closely examining the agreement and Microsoft’s intentions and, if necessary, there could be a full formal investigation that could lead to the deal being terminated.

Mistral AI is a French company that sells artificial intelligence products. The project was founded in April 2023 by ex-employees of Meta Platforms and Google DeepMind. In October 2023, the company attracted 385 million euros of investment, and in December 2023 it was valued at more than $2 billion.