French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI defended the use of AI in military applications on Thursday, responding to criticism from Pope Leo XIV over the growing role of artificial intelligence in warfare.
Arthur Mensch, the company’s co-founder and chief executive officer, said Europe could not ignore the expanding military use of AI by rival powers.
“We are all in favor of peace, but our competitors are already using artificial intelligence, and as long as real threats exist, we need to have our own capabilities,” Mensch said.
Earlier this week, Pope Leo called for international legislation to limit the development of AI systems, warning about the risks of their use in spreading disinformation and escalating armed conflicts.
Mistral currently supplies the French military with AI models as part of the country’s broader push to strengthen domestic technological capacity.
The company also announced plans to expand its computing infrastructure through a new data center in Les Ulis, France, with computing power reaching 10 megawatts. The facility is expected to begin operations in the third quarter of 2026.
Mistral previously unveiled plans for two additional data centers in France and Sweden under a €4 billion investment program aimed at increasing computing capacity to 200 megawatts by the end of 2027.
The expansion comes as European governments seek to narrow the technological gap with the United States in artificial intelligence and large-scale data infrastructure. Emmanuel Macron has promoted France’s energy resources as a strategic advantage for attracting AI and data-center investments.
However, several of the planned projects have faced local opposition over concerns related to energy consumption and environmental impact.
Mensch said public concern surrounding AI was “expected,” adding that society had historically reacted cautiously to emerging technologies.
“This is not the first time people have viewed a new technology with apprehension, but we will find ways to use it efficiently,” he said.
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