Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch warned Europe must build frontier AI or accept dependence. He said European firms pay over €260B yearly to US cloud and software providers. He argued open models help but Europe must control releases and access. He called frontier AI a security issue for cyber defense and infrastructure. He cited US restrictions on model access for foreign nationals as an example. He said closed models let owners set terms, prices and restrictions. He noted Mistral will release its open-weight model Mistral Large 4 on 27 October. He urged Europe to reject the idea it has already lost the AI race.

• €260B annual spend on US cloud and software
• October 27 2026 release date for Mistral Large 4