ASML's $1.5B Investment Boosts Mistral AI's Valuation and European Tech Ambitions
Mistral AI, a French startup and OpenAI competitor, has rapidly gained prominence with its open-source AI models and popular chatbot Le Chat, reaching a valuation of €11.7 billion after significant funding from investors like ASML and partnerships with major companies. Founded by ex-Google and Meta AI researchers, it aims to democratize frontier AI, offering both free and paid models, and is actively involved in European AI regulation discussions. The company plans to go public and remains independent, with a focus on expanding its enterprise offerings and AI ecosystem.