In recent months, we have seen how AI companies and media organizations are starting to find common ground out of sheer necessity. Everyone is pursuing strategic agreements to complement one another, and in this context, we find that Agence France-Presse and Mistral AI—both French entities—have reached a deal called Le Chat.
This agreement will grant the AI platform access to these news articles, allowing it to respond to user queries with an extensive database. In total, there is an archive of 38 million news items available in six languages, including Spanish and Portuguese.
Delving deeper, this collaboration will expand the reach of articles produced by AFP’s 1,700 journalists worldwide. Le Chat will integrate AFP’s news content, ensuring that responses are based on reliable, up-to-date information.
However, there is a caveat to the agreement: while text-based news will be available, multimedia content—such as photos, videos, and infographics—will not be accessible to users.
Both parties have commented on the arrangement. At AFP, they highlight the new revenue stream this deal represents, which is particularly valuable to media outlets in the current climate.
Meanwhile, Mistral AI states on its website that it seeks to put AI in everyone’s hands. Through this agreement, they aim to democratize access to advanced AI interfaces, make reliable information more accessible, and ensure that everyone can use AI with confidence.
For now, this initiative will be in a testing phase for a select few, although Mistral has confirmed that more information on Le Chat will be announced in the coming weeks.
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