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May 29, 2026 12:50 PM

The French AI firm argues advanced defense technologies are essential for security amid growing geopolitical competition.

French AI startup Mistral has defended the use of artificial intelligence in warfare, rejecting criticism from the Vatican and arguing that Europe must develop its own military AI capabilities in response to rising security threats.

“We’re all for peace, but if you look at our rivals and adversaries in the world, they’re using artificial intelligence,” said Arthur Mensch, chief executive and co-founder of Mistral. 

Mensch’s remarks came in response to Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical on artificial intelligence, which called for stricter oversight and said the use of AI in warfare should be subject to rigorous ethical constraints, particularly where lethal decisions are involved.

Read the full story on our new publication, Military AI: Mistral Pushes Back on Pope Leo's Criticism of Military AI

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