French AI lab Mistral has significantly enhanced its Le Chat chatbot, bringing it on par with similar offerings from competitors like Google and OpenAI.

The standout addition is Deep Research mode, which transforms Le Chat into a coordinated research assistant capable of planning, searching, and synthesizing information from multiple web sources into structured, reference-backed reports. Unlike basic Q&A responses, this mode breaks down complex queries and delivers comprehensive analyses with credible sourcing.

Mistral has also expanded Le Chat's multilingual capabilities, enabling native reasoning in languages such as French, Spanish, and Japanese through its Magistral model. The chatbot can even code-switch between languages mid-sentence, making it more accessible to global users.

Other notable updates include Projects (a tool for organizing conversations into focused workspaces), advanced image editing capabilities (powered by Black Forest Labs), and integration with Mistral's new Voxtral audio model for voice interactions.

Perhaps most strategically important is Mistral's enterprise focus. Unlike cloud-native competitors, Le Chat can connect to enterprise data on-premises, addressing security concerns for clients in banking, defense, and government sectors. This differentiation, combined with planned integrations with productivity tools like Excel and Google Docs, positions Mistral as a compelling alternative for enterprise customers who prioritize data privacy and control.