CEOs of AI startups backed by Microsoft and Amazon are the new tech rockstars

PARIS — It is not uncommon for well-known technology CEOs to be surrounded by fans or start-up founders seeking to build connections at industry conferences throughout the world.

But it wasn’t just the well-known figures who were targeted. Instead, the creators of some of the world’s hottest and newest artificial intelligence businesses received all of the attention — and attempted to deflect it.

Arthur Mensch, co-founder and CEO of Mistral AI, and Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, both attended VivaTech, one of Europe’s largest technology fairs.

Mistral AI, a French firm backed by Microsoft, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in funding in just over a year. The company is valued at $2 billion, but multiple recent rumors indicate that it is looking for further capital at a $6 billion valuation. The meteoric rise of Mistral AI, which creates AI models similar to OpenAI, has focused attention on its CEO Mensch.

After completing his panel on the official VivaTech stage in front of an audience on Wednesday, he was taken out of the speaker waiting area and into a meeting room next door. The speakers’ room is located in the Viva Lounge, an elite and limited-access area of the VivaTech event.

Mensch was promptly escorted out of the venue by two acquaintances who left through the rear exit when his meeting ended. It looked that Mensch’s colleagues did not want him to be surrounded by press or other startup reps. One person managed to momentarily engage Mensch with a handshake.

Anthropic’s Amodei also received a lot of attention. As soon as his on-stage VivaTech session ended on Wednesday, he exited the Viva Lounge and was hailed by a crowd of people, as well as multiple cameras – most likely from the media.

Amazon has spent approximately $4 billion in Anthropic, which was created in 2021.

Both Mistral AI and Anthropic are examples of how AI firms are apparently propelled into the spotlight overnight, thanks to huge investments from notable industry titans and the buzz around the technology.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, for example, has become a lot more well-known person as his company grows at an incredible rate and its stock price continues to soar.