Mistral AI’s 21 billion euro valuation doesn't mean the AI Act is automatically viable for everyone; it’s one big investment, not a blanket approval. If we hadn't already focused so much on this one story, would we still see it as the sole proof the whole framework works? Many smaller companies, like a startup here in Portugal trying to secure a seed round, face huge compliance costs that a company like Mistral can easily absorb. We should walk away from the idea that one outlier success proves anything about the everyday burden on most businesses.