The Microsoft-Mistral partnership has sparked broader debates about the role of Big Tech in shaping AI's future and their potential to stifle competition. Some European lawmakers have called for a thorough investigation into the deal, accusing the firms of trying to undermine European legislative efforts for a fair and competitive digital market. The controversy has also raised questions about the motives behind regulatory exemptions for European startups, with some suggesting they may inadvertently favor American Big Tech interests.
Key takeaways:
- Microsoft has invested 15 million euros in French AI firm Mistral and plans to host its AI models on the Azure cloud computing platform, a move that has drawn scrutiny from European Union regulators.
- The investment could potentially convert into equity during Mistral's next funding round, intensifying investigations into Microsoft's dominance in the cloud computing sector.
- There are concerns that Mistral's lobbying for looser AI regulations may have been influenced by its relationship with Microsoft, and that the deal could undermine European legislative efforts to ensure a fair and competitive digital market.
- Mistral announced a new large language model, Mistral Large, which will be a closed model only available to customers through an API.