Washington D.C., December 11, 2024: Google has urged the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block Microsoft’s exclusive cloud deal with OpenAI. The deal, which grants Microsoft exclusive rights to host OpenAI’s advanced AI models on its Azure cloud infrastructure, has raised significant antitrust concerns. Google contends that the partnership restricts competition in the rapidly growing AI sector, potentially limiting access to cutting-edge technologies for other cloud providers.
This request comes amid ongoing scrutiny by regulators, with reports indicating that the FTC is already investigating the market dynamics involving Microsoft, OpenAI, and key players like Nvidia. As a competitor to Microsoft in cloud computing, Google argues that the exclusive deal would create an unfair advantage for Microsoft, limiting rivals’ ability to offer AI services powered by OpenAI’s technology.
The development highlights the intensifying competition in both the AI and cloud computing sectors, where companies are racing to dominate the advanced technology market. If successful, Google’s challenge could reshape the distribution of OpenAI’s technologies across the cloud services industry.
