Orange said its research and development teams will collaborate closely with Mistral AI’s experts to analyze the effects of large-scale AI deployment on telecommunications networks globally
French telco Orange and Mistral AI have announced a strategic partnership focused on advancing artificial intelligence (AI) across Europe. In a release, Orange noted that this collaboration is set to boost AI capabilities, foster innovation and bring significant benefits to customers.
Under the terms of the deal, Orange’s research and development teams will collaborate closely with Mistral AI’s experts to analyze the effects of large-scale AI deployment on telecommunications networks globally. Additionally, they will define technological roadmaps to shape future networks, tackling key challenges such as connectivity demands and GPU availability. The objective of the partnership is to provide customers with seamless and highly efficient access to advanced AI solutions, it added.
Orange also highlighted that the it aims to deliver exceptional network quality with minimal latency, approaching real-time responsiveness. Such advancements will help enable agentic AI, allowing for instant interactions and decision-making, the telco said.
Beyond research, the partnership will focus on implementing AI-driven solutions to enhance the performance of existing networks. By incorporating Mistral AI’s technologies into its infrastructure, Orange aims to optimize intelligent traffic management, predictive maintenance and repair solutions. Additionally, this integration will enable the creation of new AI-powered personalized services, benefiting Orange’s 300 million customers worldwide.
As part of this collaboration, Mistral AI’s applications, including Le Chat Pro and Codestral, will be incorporated into Orange’s service offerings. Orange will enhance its generative AI solution, Live Intelligence, with a turnkey offering featuring Codestral, a large language model (LLM) developed by Mistral AI and hosted on Orange Business infrastructure. This will empower businesses across France and Europe to accelerate software development while maintaining full control over their data and processes.
The Chat application will be available as an optional feature for Orange’s Mobile Pro subscribers, enabling professional clients in France to seamlessly access Mistral AI’s platform.
“By joining forces with Mistral AI, we are taking a major step towards establishing Europe as a global leader in AI,” said Christel Heydemann, CEO of Orange. “This collaboration is unprecedented as it fully incorporates the research dimension. It will promote the massive adoption of AI and enable its full potential through high-quality networks, tailored for real-time conversations. Together, we firmly believe that generative AI can positively transform businesses when technology and trust come together.”
Arthur Mensch, CEO of Mistral AI, added, “This strategic collaboration aims to integrate AI into Orange’s operations, services and R&D initiatives. This marks a significant milestone in the deployment of AI and in preparing for the growing adoption of this transformative technology.”
Rival operator Free, part of the Illiad Group, has recently partnered with Mistral AI to become the first French telco to include an AI assistant in all its mobile plans. Starting February 10, its 15.5 million subscribers will get 12 months of free access to le Chat Pro, Mistral AI’s premium assistant, offering advanced features like unlimited web searches and ultra-fast responses.
Iliad Group has recently said it has earmarked €3 billion ($3.09 billion) to enhance AI-focused infrastructure, including data centers, computing power, research and application layers.
