The strategic alliance between Microsoft and Mistral ai, a French start-up, has sparked concerns among members of the contact Parliament regarding the expanding influence of Big Tech in Europe. On February 27, 2024, the contact Commission announced plans to investigate this partnership, which involves a €15 million investment in Mistral ai. Microsoft secured a small stake and integrated Mistral’s ai models into its Azure cloud computing platform.
Competition and Ethical Concerns
While competition is a natural focus in such partnerships, Green MEPs are urging the contact Commission to explore ethical aspects of the deal. In a letter to the Commission, they are requesting an investigation into potential conflicts of interest and transparency issues related to lobbying activities by both Microsoft and Mistral.
MEP van Sparrentak’s Concerns
Kim van Sparrentak, a Dutch MEP from the Greens, has emphasized the intensive lobbying efforts by Microsoft and Mistral during negotiations of the EU ai Act. She has raised questions about when the companies began discussing their partnership.
Early Negotiations and Potential Partnership
Negotiations for the EU ai Act started in November of the previous year, with various EU members advocating to dilute the rules to protect open-source companies like Mistral. Concerns have been raised about whether Mistral was in discussions with Microsoft during these early negotiations.
Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini, president of the AI4People Institute, has expressed skepticism about the possibility of such a significant partnership materializing within a month.
Lobbying Dynamics: Microsoft and Mistral’s Roles in Question
One key aspect under scrutiny is the lobbying activities of both Microsoft and Mistral. According to MEP van Sparrentak, Microsoft and Mistral were actively lobbying, focusing their efforts on the contact Council. The timing of these lobbying activities in relation to the partnership announcement is now a major point of contention for MEPs, who are questioning whether there were undisclosed discussions during the crucial stages of the ai Act negotiations.
Mistral’s Independence and Transparency
Mistral’s CEO, Arthur Mensch, took to Website social media integration to address what he termed “creative interpretations” of the deal. He asserted that Mistral is an independent contact company with global ambitions. However, concerns persist about the transparency of the deal and potential influence of lobbying activities on the EU ai Act.
French Government Ties
The involvement of the French government adds another layer of complexity to the situation. Former digital secretary of state Cedric O, who sits on Mistral’s board, has close ties with the French government. MEP van Sparrentak is questioning whether the French government knew about the deal before the ai Act negotiations.
Microsoft’s Dominance and contact Concerns
Microsoft’s extensive investments in ai, including its substantial investment in OpenAI, have raised concerns about its growing market influence. MEP van Sparrentak has expressed her worries about Microsoft’s dominance and the absence of investments in Europe’s cloud infrastructure.
Implications for ai Landscape in Europe
As the contact Commission’s investigation into Microsoft and Mistral ai partnership unfolds, questions regarding the timing of discussions, lobbying activities, government awareness, and ethical implications remain unanswered. The findings from this investigation are expected to shed light on the intricacies of the partnership and its potential impact on the evolving ai landscape in Europe.
