Microsoft/Mistral AI partnership reviewed by EU

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Ethan Miller/Getty Photos

The European Union is trying into Microsoft’s partnership with French startup Mistral AI as a part of its broader overview of the booming generative synthetic intelligence sector to see if it raises any competitors considerations.

The 27-nation bloc’s govt fee mentioned Tuesday in a quick assertion that it’s analyzing the settlement between the 2 corporations introduced a day earlier. Microsoft declined to remark. Mistral didn’t reply to a request for remark.

Microsoft mentioned Monday it was teaming up with Mistral by a 15 million euro ($16 million) funding within the French firm, which emerged lower than a 12 months in the past. The settlement may reduce the U.S. software program big’s reliance on ChatGPT-maker OpenAI for supplying the following wave of chatbots and different generative AI merchandise.

The fee, the EU’s prime antitrust enforcer, mentioned it’s together with the deal as a part of its broader overview of the generative AI market. It’s inspecting agreements between digital tech giants and generative AI builders and suppliers.

The EU final month began trying into Microsoft’s multibillion take care of San Francisco-based OpenAI, which may result in a proper merger investigation.