The UK antitrust regulator has given the green light to Microsoft’s $13 billion investment in OpenAI, putting an end to months of speculation about their collaboration.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that the 2023 deal does not require an in-depth investigation under merger regulations. Earlier in 2023, the CMA indicated plans to assess whether the partnership conferred excessive control and influence between the two companies.
This ruling, after a thorough review lasting about 14 months, removes one regulatory challenge for Microsoft in the UK, although the company is still under scrutiny regarding its cloud services. This news follows alerts from the US Federal Trade Commission about the potential for the merger to enhance Microsoft’s position in cloud computing amid the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence industry.
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The CMA remarked in a statement, “While Microsoft did gain substantial influence over OpenAI in 2019, control has not been transferred to Microsoft.”
Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI has given the tech giant a competitive edge over its fellow Big Tech companies by integrating its technologies into nearly every facet of its main products.
Last year, both Microsoft and Apple opted not to take board positions at OpenAI, signaling the growing regulatory scrutiny in this space.
The CMA has taken the lead in global initiatives to ensure that major investments from Big Tech into the AI sector do not distort the market or create an environment dominated by a few powerful entities. The UK authority has voiced its concerns about what it calls an “interconnected web” of partnerships and investments within the AI ecosystem. Previously, it approved Google’s partnership with AI company Anthropic.
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