French startup Mistral AI is updating its virtual assistant based on generative artificial intelligence le Chat.

The functionality of the mentioned digital product has been expanded as a result of the addition of a web search with citations and other new features.

A message published on the startup’s blog last Monday, November 18, contains information according to which a significant proportion of le Chat users are students and professionals who leverage this virtual assistant for learning, research, and work. Mistral AI stated that the addition of a web search feature will facilitate the mentioned use cases of the digital product.

According to a post published on the startup’s blog, web search and other new features will be launched over the next few weeks.

Mistral AI has added a new interface to le Chat that helps users modify, edit, or transform content. The Canvas interface will assist consumers generate documents, presentations, code, markup, and other types of content.

Also, on Monday, the startup announced new features such as the ability to analyze and summarize large and complex PDF documents and images. Besides, one of the announced functional solutions is the generation of high-quality images powered by Black Forest Labs. Moreover, in this case, provides the ability to generate agents that can automate repetitive workflows, such as scanning receipts for expense reporting and invoice processing.

The startup announced that the new features will be available in a free beta offering format.

The message posted on the Mistral AI blog also contains information that the company is currently operating toward premium tiers, which will feature higher service guarantees.

The startup said that le Chat will provide users with an alternative to do the work in the best possible way if their current AI-productivity toolchain is siloed or expensive.

In June, it became known that Mistral AI raised investments worth 600 million euros (about $640 million) as part of a Series B funding round. About a year after the seed round, the startup was evaluated at $6 billion.

In July, the startup entered into a partnership with the French banking group BNP Paribas. This collaboration provides access to the current and future commercial artificial intelligence models developed by Mistral AI. The partnership provides that the mentioned models will be used in all areas of the financial institution’s activities.

The bank applies large language models developed by the startup for customer support, sales, information technology, and other activities.

Also, in July, Mistral AI and Nvidia presented an artificial intelligence model. This joint digital product has been named Mistral NeMo. The mentioned model is designed to bring advanced artificial intelligence capabilities to standard desktop computers. Mistral NeMo may change the way companies use AI. In this case, a kind of move beyond the cloud space was carried out.

It is worth noting that during the period of active development and spread of artificial intelligence, the issue of cybersecurity has become more relevant. Scammers also have access to AI technologies. Due to the leveraging of functional solutions based on artificial intelligence, their activities have become more sophisticated. Personal awareness of users is important to counteract the corresponding threat to cybersecurity. For example, a query in an Internet search engine, such as how to know if my camera is hacked, will allow anyone to get information about signs of unauthorized access to the device.