Le Chat, an AI assistant developed by Mistral, has taken the digital world by storm, achieving remarkable download figures in a short span. Initially restricted to iOS users in the United States, Le Chat amassed 500,000 downloads within just six days. By the end of January, the app had reached one million downloads, making it the top free download on the iOS App Store in France. This rapid rise underscores the growing interest in AI technology and positions Mistral as a formidable player in the competitive AI landscape.
The app's success story aligns with a surge in AI adoption globally, as evidenced by DeepSeek's mobile app achieving one million downloads between January 10 and January 31. The Chinese app further went viral towards the end of January, drawing millions of new users in a matter of days. Meanwhile, ChatGPT, OpenAI’s popular chatbot launched in November 2023, has been downloaded 350 million times according to Appfigures’ latest metrics. Such figures highlight the expanding footprint of AI applications across diverse markets.
Amidst this backdrop, French president Emmanuel Macron emphasized the significance of AI during a TV interview before the AI Action Summit in Paris. He expressed a preference for local innovation over international alternatives.
"Go and download Le Chat, which is made by Mistral, rather than ChatGPT by OpenAI — or something else." – French president Emmanuel Macron
The AI Action Summit in Paris served as a pivotal forum for discussing emerging trends and opportunities in artificial intelligence. It also underscored the intense competition Mistral faces from established Big Tech companies, including Google and Microsoft. These tech giants are eager to carve out a niche in the AI assistant domain with their applications, such as Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Copilot.
Mistral's remarkable debut with Le Chat places it among key innovators vying for dominance in an increasingly crowded market. Nevertheless, the company must navigate challenges posed by veteran players who aim to secure a presence on consumers' home screens.
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