Ecosia switches from Mistral to open-weight AI models including Qwen, GLM and Kimi

German search engine Ecosia is replacing Mistral with open-weight AI models, including Chinese-developed Qwen, GLM and Kimi, through a partnership with German AI platform Melious. Founder and CEO Christian Kroll said the switch had roughly halved costs while improving quality and performance. Ecosia adopted Mistral in May after moving away from OpenAI, but Kroll said it encountered recurring technical problems, including overloaded servers, and was disappointed with model quality. The new arrangement gives Ecosia access to multiple models through Melious rather than relying on a single AI developer. [POLITICO]