Mistral defends AI use in warfare, rebuts Pope criticism
Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch defended the use of AI in warfare, arguing Europe must develop its own capabilities amid adversaries deploying the technology, while also announcing a new data center in Les Ulis with 10 MW capacity by Q3 2026. The company faced criticism from Pope Francis, who urged international AI regulation to curb misinformation and conflict risks, but Mistral dismissed concerns over student protests and AI disruption as temporary anxiety.
French AI startup Mistral’s CEO and co-founder Arthur Mensch rejected Pope Francis’ call for stricter AI regulations, particularly in warfare, during an interview on May 28 in Paris. Mensch argued that Europe must develop its own AI defense capabilities due to adversaries already using the technology. ‘As long as we have adversaries that are threatening, and they are threatening, we do need to have our own capabilities,’ he stated, emphasizing the need for self-protection. The company also announced plans for a new data center in Les Ulis, France, with 10 megawatts of computing power, set to open in the third quarter of 2026. This follows earlier commitments to two other data centers in Sweden and France as part of a €4 billion investment plan to reach 200 MW of computing power by the end of 2027. Mistral supplies AI models to the French military, reinforcing its stance on AI’s role in defense. When questioned about student protests at U.S. graduations over AI’s societal impact, Mensch acknowledged concerns but dismissed them as expected anxiety. ‘It’s not the first time people are a bit anguished at something coming up,’ he said, adding that society would adapt to AI’s changes efficiently. The Pope’s recent encyclical, *Magnifica Humanitas*, warned of AI’s risks, including misinformation and escalating conflict, calling for global regulation. However, Mistral’s leadership remains focused on expanding infrastructure and military applications despite opposition, including local resistance to data centers in France.
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