Agence France-Presse (AFP) has teamed up with French AI firm Mistral to enhance European AI capabilities through a multi-year contract. Mistral’s conversational AI, Le Chat, will leverage AFP’s news dispatches in six languages, providing timely responses to user inquiries. This collaboration targets professionals while also appealing to the general public. Unlike typical agreements, AFP’s content will not train Mistral’s models, focusing instead on revenue generation.
AFP and Mistral Join Forces in AI Innovation
In a groundbreaking move within the realm of global information, Agence France-Presse (AFP) has partnered with French artificial intelligence firm Mistral, aiming to position itself as a frontrunner in European AI. This innovative agreement enables Mistral’s conversational AI, Le Chat, to utilize AFP’s news dispatches to effectively respond to user inquiries. Although the specifics regarding the financial terms and duration of this “multi-year” contract remain undisclosed, it marks a significant milestone for both the global news agency and the emerging AI competitor, which seeks to rival major players like OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT.
Leveraging News for AI Responses
As the landscape of AI agreements evolves, 2024 has witnessed a notable surge in collaborations, predominantly centered around OpenAI. This partnership is particularly unique, as it represents the first of its kind for both AFP and Mistral, with aspirations that extend beyond European borders. Fabrice Fries, CEO of AFP, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, emphasizing that it opens up “a new stream of revenue” for the agency. Meanwhile, Mistral’s head, Arthur Mensch, highlighted the importance of having access to a reliable journalistic source like AFP.
Starting Thursday, Le Chat will incorporate AFP’s news dispatches in six languages—French, English, Spanish, Arabic, German, and Portuguese—allowing users to receive timely responses to their current events inquiries. The conversational robot will draw from an extensive archive of 38 million dispatches dating back to 1983, producing around 2,300 new pieces daily, while initially undergoing a testing phase with a limited user base.
This collaboration strategically targets professionals, such as executives and liberal professions, who may utilize the AI to prepare documents or memos related to ongoing news events. However, the broader public is likely to engage with the technology for various everyday inquiries. Mensch noted that while AFP provides verified information, general questions about shopping or weather are more suited for web-based responses, illustrating the complementary nature of both uses.
The partnership follows the recent decision by Meta to discontinue its fact-checking program in the U.S., although Fries clarified that discussions with Mistral began before this announcement, underscoring AFP’s ongoing “diversification strategy.” In 2023, AFP reported its fifth consecutive year of profit, achieving a net income of 1.1 million euros, aided by state compensation for public interest missions.
Importantly, unlike other similar agreements, AFP’s content will not be employed to train Mistral’s AI models. Instead, it acts as a modular connection that can be deactivated upon the contract’s conclusion, ensuring a focused approach to revenue generation rather than a one-time payment typical of model training arrangements.