Mistral's open model Shieldstral matches much larger safety models at a fraction of the size

Mistral has launched its new Shieldstral model, which checks AI inputs and outputs for safety violations using natural language yes-or-no questions. The model competes with larger models, matching those up to seven times its size in certain benchmarks, making it a standout option in the market. Operators can set their own criteria at runtime instead of relying on a third-party classification system, and the model can run locally, enhancing its usability and flexibility.