France has signaled a clear preference for domestic AI over American models in government operations. Budget Minister David Amiel announced that the French government will hire sovereign artificial intelligence providers — specifically naming Mistral AI — to test public-sector systems for cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
The announcement, made on Tuesday during a hearing about the recent hacking of France's tax agency, effectively excludes US-based providers like OpenAI from the initiative. Amiel said the government would use French AI tools to probe for security weaknesses across public IT infrastructure.
The move aligns with France's broader push for digital sovereignty in AI, which has gained urgency after a series of cyberattacks targeting government systems. Mistral AI, valued at approximately $14 billion, has been steadily building its position as Europe's leading AI lab, recently securing a framework agreement with France's Ministry of the Armed Forces.
Mistral has also been expanding commercially, raising $830 million in debt financing to build a data center in Paris. The company is positioning itself as the "OpenAI of Europe," with contracts across industrial giants including EDF, BMW, and Airbus.
The decision reflects a growing trend among European governments to prioritize domestic AI capabilities for sensitive government applications, citing concerns about data sovereignty and reliance on foreign technology providers.
