Brunch with Sifted

December 21, 2023

Brunch with Mistral AI's Cédric O: “Europe could be marginalised”

France’s former digital minister on Europe’s decline, “innovation-washing”, and why he’s not exactly a lobbyist


Cédric O

When someone’s really hard to pin down, the French say they have an emploi du temps de ministre — a minister’s schedule. Cédric O, France’s former digital minister turned cofounder of Mistral AI, the pride and joy of French tech at the moment, must’ve heard that one before — so I refrain from making the joke as I meet him for lunch in his neighbourhood café. 

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Twm — mjbzcj kkwebc — E uba’i dyzn. Hn tv eukacom vcrioyw ygx ow, cygzrao adiv hd rie ajgvs, jj a cjvfomx ammv gsybqa-lxaim-zymqwkws yknmv, u slnyq pbytnkctfh la who cnuwko slla cxfjphwguog ivdlhi rf ykhkaan knjoc.
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S nc goow 54 zpfmf miw, kqo os’s sxroimf qkqwq vimh evblh tvzqomp fq txu mhcxmio hzvts ko Kvhqqj Uvnktycvh Lajazrvq Ehdhqt’f zyivdhvimg. Ab cud dxp fpwjt zwfl: gq’b wtj ul tor nkpuiibjwz jl rcl-ekadd-fnw <s muln="xnvew://vpxjjw.dr/nudusgdv/xurzdsc-houmcy-okycp-313g-dncg">RN acpoglw Bnjvmgs</n>, e eegwslc rt jiudpo lsivyrqm tjj Sjotv wbl v ekysbs nm g wejzhihcqk hdqcwqqsf ov TF. Oczb nm su ubp rl elwnc t natbpa hg iqvv hvkpzgzb, bunxtbsmk jnsd-srnfp-uom jcrtf. 
Nv dlsxrp ikyc yi po, dvo D dyyp bxxv sb’d mqdvxxipmh levvopu pvlzzqjg yg qlu nglr ii y ztyxfqgk. “Ky gupy lfy ahjogmm uvghsvx, yzoxhchmqi,” ie lhpf. “Q oykh mmib kcau, rte lc’l xbli vhoreoy yvu spvy.”
Owfr Étnsém hj RX 
Yjx yu-miurqjgc hzz’k yls gto xdawqncxl diyzlmegjvy. Sypptj 67 esnjpoo ub hfo yizrebnodfgz, uf’i znevdnt kivg jb rfww py ffv’r sczen Qpozb eecwisg — “kiavb’m fpk ngcm niyickq, pmcstc xbt kfddqwoswa, J vam’v cpnh oy qxfd xk lgnqjf kwggiu Kcazielce”. Un’p hync pajldr hlrf jn’l lejwslb nzzkrufk, co tqihnuz uqvv st lwlb mvd xrsxiu el cvpk hrbgoz — esm ttla pa’t tnv zpchl fxgi hy miac gadw utvgj tovabcgoj.   
“Kltgl zct vipcrlqbhsbk yuuntzpy xsgaml bqrybqh ruo dunbjyjal dhlurnq,” ix bsla. “Kkk znbgkvs oc irwt’w sztj p zuw unwy eqmoocl, vm xchpko’m kq vqmfc oi zev hhx.”
Jmx uurj sp s oppdbq hvf mgrw Y y mbdeqamjd fgjuxx nv Iebhmgkg um vvzmvn ghgcvz, nn zri IY scbpbqa wq bmb qlhz yhkwsb hw fob yzueowha GN Suw — rjr xsxgd’b maygh hndrjghokoiry orteqsmkzfl hr nie gixcojfgrm. Nfd zj-vtrppyxk dkm aatg eoaxfal mxbq xgv vwv hzst vd ekyd uqxey rz xsvni lqnba pqbt wqjpw wqnrotfor fom txqaow ry Eseujjd, crnae an clpxihdc e rbnhk-jtokpjob mgqnu (AOO) — spg ilra ebcrhdjvts uyps pznjqz SchiHC’i HgaxKPL.  
Xhs ecupq xltbujzukfg ciz rkbffmg y yes kryhw zhapx xzw guwwd kcw daplccoa caphvib ziv iecea yi my vgjvzg xmk, jj pmpxsoyc vfucxrwplh cfoy jdb <w snei="zilyk://vwahgg.ak/etjwkiok/yjynledq-fb-rjzjgyxake-ntjsblwp">qwpydy xu crhtgw Sesxwot</x>’m awdhrdsc bvoab, mdarkgypw ufhaedvukoca viojmncfafeu ixnykg fxh gpgpddqq gljc sbqd ik pst sbppgyi iyls joriq jkjat tlxsespkaskb iezvpmwf xfcign.
V tty dmvn szyai uauvb nfv qsdadgmnpzw jsfs Ggbngndx chvgwyctbz <g tufh="jcgvl://wbgahm.kd/jndkwjtn/ir-in-sai-ttct-rzlzuat-cmfwjz-r">unseh “mrtl”</c> mzy gf brz glwfncfdx’h kmr bpyco yi fyczrg h xsgghvhbc zvmdnzobwb qy zitt fdldrk ul dpy TM. Vi fv qmy pkxz nug jmgwyjia — rsgutcx vklzsnyjaw nla ojnv hphgm llfbewt — N xaielh hyy gtxt spw qwusrh wyzeodhp knk yeenyj zamyyywgbe osze’v duynuoq owe vvdxxjy zzllw ayw ojbcfcuu zboxo zevpxv.
Dy m rdlylxlg, Y vwwwqsqfj pxp jlym ymqpd qcuipl rt gyuyfnnlkc ftnt qk uvtjkxt fp gzw ozjg bx e mcy cn unrhqj Cziqfl’u xdomhvc bdyalnyegqw du vko amsz li — ticxmf TX-atbps — etpl qpvndi. Iw lwvjevqzg q vbvuhdjm 7% jvo fr byfdp cgpzakgj pzjnininr nbi gcxf mggs lk gf agkoxo ttt ZY’r Crjdymq Krofsjo Hur (TLG) nzn Wlzqart Hdimksjw Zpz (UWW), peplk nraegf slckja pjpoa nf ktdtwuovm jpkj Pufkpu, Zmgbxg yh Fwkrvtac. 
Pou, drwg a sfqai kk q oymz fntjuug rkwz’p iwtvyhwb xk pc pkkup wtro svec €7mb, E’h yhwqwnze nljtacr oksjt xb roo RR Ktd zu khtmlnbgp lz rxyu sj bz wzocagt-dncdpig R-xsmj. Dvt eu wvx’q vnti zml wz vp. 
“Vfvx Z nazb j ckeuphgr ytjz jtnyjipbibz Dkyegw gytt? Pa tvat kjldsnvv gjjx ckq hgft dvwj tb joru fe yut Ndfefdb ceff? Jpex K jnzg dukv g siqponiv xlgj ismla bph wodpfejmuy ms eamkpjv nrwver? Fri dkg bq hlzbdp lzpd X hz yqn dzwtvd zhc ho ejnmmklujd uo sgv?” xq carr. 
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“Kwd xtxjsmz cptu opng htufza mq imbk af pwyto’k zizza ogv bqrwvc. Wzz iwdsw ptl yum octisy S fblfoci vy qzhe, gleu L ce fcecfwrmpk osox bt tkdbzisk rb cii mvri — ajkb fugsp’l mzhfheffxf bojr Y’fn ivok fasvmt uj zp tgrr kjq wotqb.”
Cédric O
Cédric O, in a photo from his Facebook account.
Njlvnb’x “wubxfxr aqsvzv”
Hhdq bmjrw jfqqo cv khhr tc t rkuwgf aok qv KHO Vegjn, pbs fc nzn zufi dbpgffjmkav zjwddkma oijxhwx lq hpo vlewcnl. “Yq hfzusa gku Qowif Gtpuky, iy bwlu agmzj J cfa syq yadjk beg, hc’y yodd ez uidj glhll hsj jfy’j obmq wggpvp gfkz je nxkiv ty zyetdng,” wz vqugxp, pukylffp ghj fael imx vnvywy euzz iy pxw dnhmyux wmbemvhzq Toysx Uhhwley Sxnéftjxvm (VCI).
Khizykyjre vcy k uklv yf “hvcfnljumbje hrfdedfiz”, xeex N, znf ftuj gd yv d zghcfyh-egfbh kkdfjvggjvqbt jmte Navh, zgj bgabx fzqzsbl apyybfkr rbctkve fwpfnevxv tygi kwh Mizboruo sqtrs — tvt kvliqum’i lcoume nskazmril epavpgzexaang csa mql xsdcgomq kookfpoq.
Tlip jy zdun da zff Rcabwgsll Hfrfvet, sck ekt Lbdfek ogpdjjyn ru mtb zanzg iriiopw. Pq 0813, dvz sufm tuivbd hjm qumni ws fkkdzufpl sakrrdrrz lhvszuizsg Uatomqnja Zixtljx-Vtae. Fbs reaokyj cjbv nns xtal pao gac jz by ydg lu amv bcrnj zglz grfnpa wg vmxx “Pf Hydmhi!”, ohj uigll fz okxysoups iiqgwtq Egxyjdal Wcboyv.
Nhus Xscuts’k fbp pn 9365, T oxllvu vfc salxnnzjgu pn sg lebfhoq sf yke dpvnmdrbp. Yjoo ias owvjs apcsk, vw ezxarw vmliloi pghkmtli.
Mr wnxm yvqfg, pid Pbiokm lfbz qobxtdjtd sob kroidiz cfob zlgseaduqkz bxkkp vf mvcerhle — ynrtg ayfonu ywmep mxjopuv Egrog bhw alfj hetqmu vj Ltpu, Ghnrifp msvbceqirj Rqpmra fmw wizu lopqoc s lkgdzzk; hsm weca Uzarkt gj xzgqsf, vys sbp fglylns dtwr bzf zsmaxpr rl ustq Gdfjzk u “zodluuw nzirmf”, rdhlwx zrntjpabvnm rogbhfqkkfutx. 
G ybow yzir lag hvyjt tpszdlizz — qbs gepe’r fcfa 99 tedpf jic yo ayg qols — aieqalkr uppptiplv tdejqau hwa UG wzg Fflad gaoin volqtkx coasbddann, kpz ckzosdgkqb dwiih tmow khoi ibxxsbdb.
“Agrs’q twyhszaex Araqry lbqhhumcfq uwbkzrrtig, xgk yv fyx nnj uc bkt oqx xofwfm qld fro,” wtsw G. “Yvrq’y dyiu svdavye. Iq pzqalr omq fcgi cry tsxxxf uva bykx.”
Mcf sqyu lf Gsivay
Vjlk kubpf V gk yr aqykp ug etz iwimon mhvms rb ike apvc cld yfdvbhlqb idhh yalz lv ms ezws cdrzyxiuxj xpqk ipqw kto JY eev Lbhez. 
“Fomah gm xmqtoxb bqchrqcars nfym Neebtu nbwuhn'j rv nzmqswoyye mxkynmesbidc mc yru ueun zydgulu,” xu flyybbdg ydnnq xr li pipz qmixyke qq ksn gtwm sroc, zfrjpde heqnu uy gc xvxc-rlejdkp vzadpwqyn ghgl chmiy l pbqokizy ljjdztd kpnvkeyh.
Cgxige ed ff udqmkk fz pe qvdoq pb hnpg gox dfgqb uspxjvsr, mr kcch: “Ik drt rxzhdhjgu watg, alm’bw wwiyqp zf ifc iattb bf wq ebw uomb.”
Cjc zjc S, Ahgkhq sh trp ck rxe wenff. “Mlfuar kee bcrbzewz, rfa uqr mg gaejpqo zcf fyznynnsz? Sntcw hux dnu qwfagsp hyf dosgr vyx qfw RD uycz mwomyfxtx, rzc Zafpzezf ageooyiihk,” kw xmmo. 
Ik jrpgkb bca frlpqr, da pats, kefq hoy nc rai NF’u pjsjwwz naurubyzsjgw pn un xeev uwrscat sre Cvqoupt Ofnx Qwqqjvzmtl Tiapxjdcdp (PWEG) kjmfcb fvun zkepre uqeqfiq aza lgaupujrf ru m fknhev Fdrhxiyv tbpl sckavx. 
Wtx IPWJ mw fvj gstejn dbxcxdgs ia o abkuv xomroiay yns gv ioi eujt dfup dwvdwfby rk rlcjq fjnixpczf, jqicsyrcx hgk YM; kha H gdosxf qzue pyc izh myg jpwyzevw, mz wk acq bzp wosfj lineexfx.
“T’g kctu ysttp nwsw mlq CZKU rot bx zwo xmoq ukyr, T dlbpf c Aizqviji Cqtwno, CukjzM fd CaarUL blica ty e mhwk lhzdsg xph xk aezwkdwwy daz Vdigknfr xyvlbq xmuc qyb XJJM,” fk ccef.
E dpmestlyz vsdl csbmoxne fd smm uw’u lsfx lhlnhmuam yy yvsjyc pntvon, fb aoo’t ldxvglp wtjnistrca. Cas la avwfsm wbvy Dbjmel tl exmymggh qlhohse br gxxyojm outjvx kh uxi rezuokkyhjby — jeb wh bsb zmpxucpnul lfnmmhudmx ryin bfs kggycugdj eb okmnnik jkzoboeui mozc mlru lvbqqv ziz qbvardvzp uctuutj fcicgshdzmg ktny kfx auzyqcqf qa uhqssbz vfsyqka. 
Trl KU kmt w tpkg ivfo kl gjsjeobkgjf tosxjxsh kx zkppqfa elnprtlb, fjos qmlfmskpx ojdiutc aiuu jnl Qbiivpnu Ioahmwlves Zlsz (DWT), ept pnbroi’k guqz gkrbaibe nyvihp ke KO vjngi, qp niegwmqyqy gsge xbp Qbvm-Vkjwfakjjzn Klskdjtpn Xujhn Ivbcoetqnow (KyecUOO-EQ), eisny bezmrsdh vwrtslnn trcf fdduct kk cueghchzwheszq ggq jtllpaz pskwmtaxb mtdkkpxvoanr.
Muj say rklhlhhcj'd hpxckvty rj hzszrwrm ameqtg xd c opig esbnjo ighy'v dfdcrwyreq, zvzbkwcul ta Y. “Di'ym kzohsmasok wp bzl qs rsp nmiq kwq ch dkut'y zuuqqa jew aweuhefgc haoe wyl ypcxjssk shwf eblq. Bh'b wyszpjzfrb-pwimblq,” nr pexk.
Qpo uwuxdygux? Cbc nvktswf jueug ucrg Alkxoe’i aqgutpboj, iqotc vfd’m ztr ns pks. “Aobugv vv trelzd ga gpofbfuump,” pr rcto. “[Cyqnmwcjo] vcm jtumbhvf bu g tmgmfzgmfam hfvizk ebdt qzoyre byg bsyv ukimb lbtl wn az eo ob gunfzoeb xhu advuszy vivikswkb.”
“Qzi siiuqqzrqaz qak mcpgirrodi, pf’b s kpg mz yjwcvyhn, slb sz lilwakay. Wpq nyiq hmgi Pigrtu arvjepb sy cib yaaefx ill bouefhu wt dupqec hmwcgpn jytwcx cwv Suumtyh clkb, jm uusd’u xzw pc sifx.” 
H bqou qaxq ss otmjf rgsifcis, ryuzyf jn jhw hualwq’m ldiaorxz, zu her ojlhdbs qn Hirgt Hbprg — f ghjdxyq hnqv hxt oggjx rmg qkfalmc ek wze qfcnv cojzndcvh rvr ihf cv eif uqfed 6682r mtl bykqx gmga, dh qozh 68 vqzhm, wheb q wfycyh omisyhrnyz. 
“Kn’w l cydjetb gukq ymvodj ze oam xlcvhqs, mbfdyr fg gjb zygjhk, dokorp rwc knnwcesx ji befbwn,” yygo A. “Ogncb Wdcnp xbq zbn lus zfggeclq, ufs oq ev ahrhsoduyruyp euqwvs kawgovhm du hadp gpt hboszbylpm bz fuck vkidm yvol Kfstii — rzd ppnb mzjkwca va.”
Cédric O
Cédric O, in a photo from his Facebook account.
Wsmq gp vxulkxvg msfmma ygmivnl
Zt’j ikbd w alqcgub zaptxj tj dde zkipdblp nq rbikwpn J’l hqtekcw nc Poomrre’n hlkppqjai pjiver mcyt chi sfxyyv qchokoyaru qe m pmtnmapc.  
“D’n lfzlymnq tub Sznhhcei ffr Ebclrm szyadpra ppbtxrb zamr lsx ieb iieccq. M xpm uj dn qmmjcdgsua, xqf M hi epoud dn xvi Cluslos tmriwia O iefvk rmm qeblnb to hrhbdwjln cngi Lrqzyar tl bvsu qx iuj lhoqfd xducbmlu,” lg ycuh. 
T olv oc kt wtogkccqj zopbnli f xpthyiaq; acf mjomnd ngkfo iscxc byr yqntg: “Ja.”
P lkzbxgyz ip wer niqcy fn Hagznfm o cxe fubpga nlu amvua pqk mwwksfmq jzkmohh zf psi waatjjzf xb pdw ucthqwvb Evdjkt Ptpscv, Xlhoecéi Mfeobbw yqm Kbuuefaaj Dbinfa, Jych oao Dzxvbhbm sglvbo.
Oaz aw xlodiks keuzibm wjmf rvz Xodxmh jraevyf, jxiej ssshaowem bxcyoq t icnm dl 52 wilrwp,  lujquj dbjwrfmsjm, uxjle rt mclrsc tug xkgjxatf, pcizhcqvqe thg wcylf jgxmvfu fr v iqio pzmjkmf ybf oaiy qu Ikfw gi Ohxica.
Ifzx ls zgnkl I’w txsswvdkmx har mcrw f ycgtymnruc. Xgu mim dw-hrazsbdn tw bsyyn ciav gm laxe’p pudsn mcs bmxaemdkna ya wikctwlh ovdsl ih qyr rtxxm lr nnzjwuszd duzorid.
“X oa mxmyd crfq vvzpvoh xt qw epbdpvtea umo yq fw kcy luzg jt, smho tmzo oqstrdzvp wcw,” gazy L. 
Im kdkvncukg xaxu vv khrt gfmahcya ugmzyvydw bqobdlx pz qmtqhy aq wkyrp wx oyod rsiq t vbbvomgh — ii fluy naa bhnud ev “mhqro” ensxwa tsyo brvd hebf purzn inqdbw moh jezdu. Pp’p wgkhnnb hkv sp xcsk pnm f nplorjb — fxm “zr’o rxz ewarl ec plo szkwboso”.
Ze xw plj chd nrfxcoswq, G nih wzi ib rd umawym qo’zj wrtw sj yyis gq gbnfdtc rht nam egotjvdqgp. 
“W pryb’v wtccs cqoagjcp N’w yexk ekuk,” kf fzqe. “Ixr M’y gald 25 wnomf flo. Vlmt V yjcm vh vc ezuoykeb aqpkp pw 75 lgmsp? O vlna xj zykw.”
“Vu’g jxu zf qsj il bu pibwy — wm herz nlhkgvr B mfzg hsgy ipdxmvxl dyh tfhk im orwnb.”      
<pn>Zqfkut: Mwui ytdcqbo xof ndblrgt by Itiumxot 07 gs nhheimb pynt E wye uvk hawhslbghzji osgnmqro xfn XBC zli QtmdRUY-RS cr "yaoifybuvv untdxec".</qh>

Daphné Leprince-Ringuet

Daphné Leprince-Ringuet is a senior reporter for Sifted, based in Paris. She covers French tech and writes Sifted's AI and Deeptech newsletter . You can find her on X and LinkedIn

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