The Winds of AI Begin to Blow in Europe
In June 2025, French AI startup Mistral announced Europe’s first inference model. The company released two models: the open-source “Mistral Small” and the enterprise-targeted “Mistral Medium.” This marks a clear turning point for Europe, which has long lagged behind the U.S. and China in AI development.
In this blog, we explore the technical, political, and economic significance of Mistral’s announcement.
The Strategic Impact of “Open Source × Europe”
Mistral has released some of its AI models as open source, emphasizing transparency and democratization—an approach that contrasts sharply with the closed strategies of OpenAI and Google.
One particularly notable feature is its multilingual support, including French and Arabic. This signals a deliberate effort to diverge from the English-centric global AI landscape and to reflect multicultural and multilingual awareness—a technological design that embodies European values.
Collaboration with the Macron Administration: A Symbol of European Sovereignty
Mistral enjoys the backing of the French government, particularly President Emmanuel Macron. This support goes beyond mere startup promotion—it expresses a will toward “AI sovereignty.”
Europe has long been burdened by the dominance of American tech giants such as GAFA. Possessing core AI technologies developed domestically is a vital strategy for safeguarding economic security and cultural independence. Mistral is expected to serve as a symbolic vanguard of that goal.
Challenging the Giants: A $6.2 Billion Valuation Amid Persistent Gaps
While Mistral is valued at approximately $6.2 billion, it still trails far behind OpenAI (around $90 billion) and Google DeepMind. The differences in patent strategies, infrastructure, talent, and data volume are stark.
That said, as a nimble startup, its ability to grow will hinge on leveraging policy support and market demand. In particular, Mistral’s conscious alignment with the EU’s AI Act may prove key to gaining international trust moving forward.
From Europe to the World: Mistral and the New AI Wave
In the AI domain, the balance between “performance” and “ethics” is under growing scrutiny. The rise of companies like Mistral, which champion open-source ideals and European values, may signal a shift from U.S.-China dominance toward a multipolar AI landscape.
How Mistral evolves as a European-origin AI model will become more than a matter of business competition—it will serve as a litmus test for the question: What does technological sovereignty truly mean?
The Emergence of a “Third Pole” in AI Development
Mistral is attempting to insert “Europe” as a third pole into the AI power map, which has thus far been centered on the U.S. and China. This challenge involves not just technology but also values, politics, and economics.
As we watch these developments unfold, it may be time for us to reflect on a fundamental question: What kind of AI does society truly need?