Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch pushed back Thursday against Pope Leo's call for international regulation to ban the use of artificial intelligence in warfare, arguing Europe must develop its own AI tools to defend against adversaries.
Speaking from Paris, Mensch acknowledged the moral concerns but stressed the necessity of military AI capabilities.
"We're all for peace, but if you look at our rivals and adversaries in the world, they're using artificial intelligence... As long as we have adversaries that are threatening, and they are threatening, we do need to have our own capabilities," he said.
The Pope's document, issued Monday, warned AI could spread misinformation and fuel constant conflict.
Mistral, valued at €11.7 billion, is positioning itself as a European alternative to U.S. AI giants amid a broader push to reduce reliance on American technology.
The company announced a new data center in Les Ulis, France, with 10 megawatts of computing power, set to open in the second half of 2026. The facility is part of a €4 billion investment strategy to reach 200 megawatts by 2027 and 1 gigawatt by 2030. The capacity will serve Mistral's needs and be rented to other AI labs.
The expansion aligns with French President Emmanuel Macron's push to accelerate data-center infrastructure across Europe, leveraging France's energy exports.
Mensch dismissed public backlash against AI, including videos of students booing tech executives at graduation ceremonies, calling it "expected anguish" that society will overcome.