Wed, 05 Mar 2025

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 UK competition watchdog drops Microsoft-OpenAI probe

Digital rights campaigners say it shows the regulator has given into Big Tech and been "defanged."

* The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has closed its investigation into Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI.
* The CMA found that despite Microsoft investing billions in OpenAI, the partnership remains unchanged and is not subject to review under UK merger rules.
* Digital rights campaigners Foxglove have criticized the decision, saying it shows the CMA has been "defanged".
* Critics also suggest the decision may be linked to the changed political environment at the CMA, which was instructed by the government to prioritize "pro-growth and pro-investment interventions".
* The investigation into Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI took over a year to complete.
* The CMA has issued similar "found not to qualify" decisions on other AI partnerships involving firms including Amazon and Google.
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