Paris [France], June 18 (ANI): Arthur Mensch, Co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI, expressed that his discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi focused on artificial intelligence and strategies to make it socially accessible. He highlighted the potential for a strategic partnership with India to advance sovereign AI capabilities.
Discussion on Digital Autonomy
Speaking with ANI, Mensch described meeting PM Modi as a great pleasure. The conversation centered on the critical importance of digital autonomy. He emphasized that India can train on that technology, become better at building it through startups, and provide general training to the population. This would enable people to use technology to learn faster, build businesses quicker, and be more efficient in their lives.
First Bilateral Meeting with PM Modi
Mensch commended PM Modi's understanding and leadership on AI, noting that the Prime Minister's vision aligns strongly with Mistral AI's goals. He affirmed that they discussed ensuring AI technology is accessible and beneficial to a broader population. Mensch expressed interest in partnering with India to provide general training for efficient integration of AI in startups and businesses.
"It was a great pleasure for me to be received by His Excellency. We discussed artificial intelligence. We're a company building sovereign AI capabilities across the world. The discussion revolved around how to build a full-stack solution that is resilient and escaping foreign control, which is something we can help with," Mensch said.
He added, "It also revolved a lot around how to make AI available to everyone, both to citizens and civil servants, and how to ensure the people of India actually train on that technology, become better at building it through startups we would love to partner with, and through general training of the population."
Alignment on AI Sovereignty
This was the first bilateral meeting, although they had met at the AI Impact Summit and G7. Mensch was impressed by PM Modi's understanding and leadership on AI, noting strong alignment with what Mistral AI has been advocating for three years.
He underscored the importance of sovereignty in AI globally, stressing Mistral AI's role in providing sovereign solutions. The meeting covered how every country, including the European Union and India, should own and control the AI stack—from energy supply to token creation and distribution. Mensch stated, "AI is too important to technology not to be controlled by sovereign states and sovereign companies."
MEA Hails Meeting
Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) praised the meeting, noting that Mensch expressed interest in collaborating with India. The MEA tweeted that PM Modi highlighted opportunities in India's growing AI ecosystem, and Mensch expressed Mistral AI's strong interest in partnering with Indian companies to drive innovation and expand AI capabilities.
The high-level meeting occurred during the Prime Minister's visit to the French capital.
