Arthur Mensch, chief executive of French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI, says the UAE has built "very powerful" cyber defence capabilities able to repel large-scale attacks. He made the remarks on the sidelines of a technology summit held in the country.
Mensch disclosed that Mistral AI has established partnerships with Abu Dhabi's G42 and the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence. He said the collaboration with G42 focuses on developing advanced AI platforms and infrastructure, while the partnership with the university centres on joint research into AI foundation models and developing local talent.
The Mistral chief also said his company "may" invest in data centres in the UAE, describing the country as "an interesting place" for the firm's ongoing AI infrastructure build-out.
Mensch argued that strong cyber capabilities are "a must-have" for any credible defence system, adding that sovereignty matters in this context - meaning states should be able to operate their defence systems without needing outside permission. He also said accountability for how AI systems are deployed should rest squarely with the companies that build them, calling for this responsibility to be made explicit. the UAE faces around 640,000 cyberattacks a day, with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps identified as one of the main sources of this activity. Mistral AI also used the event to unveil its newest model, Mistral Large 4.
The comments come as the UAE continues to position itself as a regional hub for artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, pursuing an expanding web of international partnerships in both fields.