OpenAI breaks off Microsoft exclusivity to free up path for Amazon, Google deals

April 27 (Reuters) – Microsoft will no longer have exclusive access to OpenAI‘s artificial intelligence models and products, a significant change that will allow the startup to sell its technology across rival cloud platforms including Amazon and Google.

Following the joint announcement, Microsoft shares slipped about 1% in premarket trading on Monday as some investors saw the shift as the company losing a valuable competitive advantage.

Microsoft has in recent years emerged as a major player in the AI race, benefiting from its early bet on OpenAI that allowed it to quickly launch AI technology across its products.

But tensions have been rising between the companies over the tie-up as OpenAI strikes cloud deals with rival companies and investors scrutinize Microsoft’s alliance on OpenAI.

The Financial Times reported in March Microsoft was weighing legal action against Amazon and OpenAI over a $50 billion cloud deal that could breach its exclusive cloud partnership.

Under the reworked partnership, Microsoft will remain OpenAI’s primary cloud partner and with will hold a license to ChatGPT creator’s intellectual property through 2032. Microsoft will also not pay a revenue share to OpenAI.

OpenAI products would also first ship on Microsoft’s Azure cloud-computing platform unless the software giant cannot or chooses not to roll out the capabilities.

(Reporting by Aditya Soni and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Arun Koyyur)