The U.S. FTC has opened a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft, focusing on cloud computing, licensing practices, and AI products, amid allegations of market abuse.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a comprehensive antitrust investigation into Microsoft, focusing on its software licensing and cloud computing operations.
The probe, approved by FTC Chair Lina Khan before her expected departure in January, comes amidst uncertainty over enforcement priorities under the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump.
The FTC is investigating allegations that Microsoft uses restrictive licensing terms to prevent customers from transferring data from its Azure cloud service to competing platforms. The agency is also examining Microsoft's practices in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence products.
Competitors have accused the company of locking customers into its Azure platform, with groups like NetChoice criticising its licensing policies and AI integrations.
Last year, Google filed a complaint with the European Commission, claiming Microsoft charged a 400% markup for running Windows Server on rival cloud platforms and provided delayed security updates. Similar concerns have been raised by other industry players, including Amazon and Google, who compete with Microsoft in cloud computing.
Microsoft, which declined to comment, has generally avoided the heightened scrutiny faced by other Big Tech firms like Google, Apple, Meta, and Amazon.
However, the FTC has already examined Microsoft's activities in artificial intelligence and its $650 million deal with Inflection AI.
While some expect Trump’s administration to adopt a more lenient approach towards Big Tech, past actions, including lawsuits against Google and Meta, indicate that ongoing investigations may continue regardless of leadership changes.
Microsoft announced on Monday that it will begin hosting AI models from Elon Musk's xAI, Meta Platforms, and European startups like Mistral and Black Forest Labs in its own data centers.
Microsoft has announced 6,000 job cuts, representing nearly 3% of its workforce, as part of a strategy to streamline operations and prioritize investments in artificial intelligence.
US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden are pressing Google and Microsoft for details on their AI partnerships, raising concerns that such deals may stifle competition, breach antitrust laws, and limit innovation in the fast-growing AI sector.
Microsoft is working on a new generation of in-house artificial intelligence reasoning models designed to rival those from OpenAI, according to a report by The Information.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba signed a declaration on upgrading bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during Radev’s official visit to Tokyo.
As President Putin intensifies strikes against civilians in Ukraine, the UK is stepping up pressure with a new package of 100 sanctions, stated the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves says the UK is close to securing a trade agreement with six Gulf countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as part of its post-Brexit drive to expand global trade ties.
The World Bank has approved $35 million in concessional credit to help Uzbekistan improve access to geospatial data and support urban development.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
As President Putin intensifies strikes against civilians in Ukraine, the UK is stepping up pressure with a new package of 100 sanctions, stated the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
China cut benchmark lending rates for the first time since October on Tuesday, while major state banks lowered deposit rates as authorities work to ease monetary policy to help buffer the economy from the impact of the Sino-U.S. trade war.
British company Anglo Asian Mining Plc (AAM), which specializes in the extraction of gold, silver, and copper in Azerbaijan, has commenced production at Gilar, a new gold deposit located within the Gedabek site in the western part of the country.
Russia is ready to increase oil supplies to China via Kazakhstan by 2.5 million tons, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told reporters.
European and global markets opened cautiously on Tuesday as investors digest a mix of geopolitical developments and await clarity on stalled trade negotiations ahead of the July deadline for the reactivation of U.S. tariffs.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba signed a declaration on upgrading bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during Radev’s official visit to Tokyo.
As President Putin intensifies strikes against civilians in Ukraine, the UK is stepping up pressure with a new package of 100 sanctions, stated the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves says the UK is close to securing a trade agreement with six Gulf countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as part of its post-Brexit drive to expand global trade ties.
The World Bank has approved $35 million in concessional credit to help Uzbekistan improve access to geospatial data and support urban development.
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