The CMA CGM Group has announced a €100 million investment over five years in French generative AI startup Mistral AI, with the aim of embedding bespoke artificial intelligence solutions across its shipping, logistics, and media operations.
The fully French partnership will see Mistral AI specialists embedded within CMA CGM’s Marseille headquarters and its media division at Grand Central. The two companies will establish dedicated teams—Mistral AI Factory and AI Media Lab—to co-develop next-generation AI tools tailored to the Group’s strategic needs.
At the core of the logistics collaboration is the Mistral AI Factory, which will focus on automating claims processing, enhancing document management, and deploying intelligent e-commerce tools to personalise and streamline the customer experience. These solutions are intended to reduce administrative burden, speed up response times, and support more scalable logistics services.
“This partnership with Mistral AI marks a decisive step in the transformation of CMA CGM through artificial intelligence,” said Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group. “Together, we will develop tailored solutions to reinvent our businesses, from maritime transport to logistics and media, with tangible benefits for our customers and our employees.”
Alongside logistics and transport, the partnership will also target media innovation. The AI Media Lab, based at CMA Media’s headquarters, will develop tools such as intelligent content management systems and AI-driven fact-checking technologies. These are aimed at increasing information integrity and helping CMA CGM strengthen its media presence.
The collaboration builds on CMA CGM’s growing AI investment strategy. The Group has committed a total of €500 million to AI initiatives, including partnerships with Google and Perplexity, and investments in companies such as Poolside and Dataiku. In 2023, CMA CGM co-founded Kyutai, a nonprofit research lab focused on open AI innovation.
Arthur Mensch, CEO of Mistral AI, commented:
“CMA CGM’s commitment to transforming all its activities through generative AI underscores both the Group’s ambition and strategic vision. Our partnership is intended to serve as a model for how AI can be structurally embedded within organizations to enhance Europe’s competitive edge.”
Through its innovation centre TANGRAM, CMA CGM also plans to train up to 3,000 employees per year on the new AI tools, underlining the Group’s focus on internal upskilling and practical deployment.
The partnership aligns with France’s broader ambition to strengthen digital sovereignty and industrial innovation through homegrown AI capabilities. CMA CGM was one of the early investors in Mistral AI, which has positioned itself as a European alternative to dominant US-based AI developers.
