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 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.
In a surprising move, Microsoft is reportedly reducing its data center footprint by canceling leases with several data center providers that together amount to a "couple hundred megawatts" of capacity - roughly equivalent to two full data centers.
In a major update to its AI assistant platform, Microsoft announced today that it will offer unlimited free access to two of Copilot’s advanced features—Voice and Think Deeper—powered by OpenAI’s o1 model.
Feb 19 (Reuters) - Microsoft, opens new tab has developed an artificial intelligence model of a videogame which can help generate visuals and actions, the company announced on Wednesday.
Measles cases in the European region surged to a 25-year high in 2024, more than doubling from the previous year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF reported on Thursday, urging immediate action to restore vaccination levels that declined after the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday he would be surprised if President Donald Trump supported the deployment of nuclear weapons further east into Europe, following Poland’s request to host U.S. nuclear arms as a deterrent against Russia.
The U.S. military is reviewing options to ensure American access to the Panama Canal, two officials told Reuters on Thursday, as President Donald Trump continues to push for greater U.S. control over the strategic waterway.
Sudan’s war has triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with millions facing famine and aid blocked by warring factions, U.N. officials warned.
President Donald Trump told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday that U.S. control of Greenland is necessary for international security, escalating his campaign to annex the Arctic island.
Italy’s League party urges the government to favour Starlink over French-led Eutelsat for satellite communication systems, citing Starlink's technological edge. The push comes amid delays in the EU’s IRIS² program, as Italy seeks secure communication solutions for officials.
XPeng Motors plans to mass-produce flying cars by 2026, becoming the first company globally to do so. CEO He Xiaopeng also highlighted advancements in autonomous driving and humanoid robotics as part of the company’s future tech initiatives.
World leaders welcomed the 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has agreed to, calling it a step toward ending the conflict with Russia.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is set to condemn Trump’s Gaza “Riviera” plan, backing Egypt’s $53 billion reconstruction proposal. A classified draft resolution, rejects the relocation of Gazans, calls for urgent international support, and mobilises opposition to the U.S. stance.
In Tuesday’s closely watched parliamentary election, Greenland’s pro-business opposition Demokraatit party took a commanding lead after over 90% of the ballots were counted.
Türkiye’s state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation signed a joint venture agreement with U.S. oil giants Continental Resources and TransAtlantic Petroleum, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced.
The Bank of Canada trimmed its key policy rate by 25 basis points on Wednesday, lowering it to 2.75%, as concerns mount over inflationary pressures and weaker economic growth driven by renewed trade uncertainties and tariff threats.
Canada will introduce $29.8 billion in retaliatory tariffs in response to the U.S. decision to impose 25% duties on steel and aluminium imports. The move follows similar action by the EU, escalating trade tensions with Washington.
The European Union will impose counter tariffs on 26 billion euros ($28 billion) worth of U.S. goods from next month, the European Commission said on Wednesday, ramping up a global trade war in response to blanket U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium.
The European Commission has raised €9 billion of EU-Bonds in its 3rd syndicated transaction for 2025.
Measles cases in the European region surged to a 25-year high in 2024, more than doubling from the previous year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF reported on Thursday, urging immediate action to restore vaccination levels that declined after the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday he would be surprised if President Donald Trump supported the deployment of nuclear weapons further east into Europe, following Poland’s request to host U.S. nuclear arms as a deterrent against Russia.
The U.S. military is reviewing options to ensure American access to the Panama Canal, two officials told Reuters on Thursday, as President Donald Trump continues to push for greater U.S. control over the strategic waterway.
Sudan’s war has triggered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with millions facing famine and aid blocked by warring factions, U.N. officials warned.
President Donald Trump told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday that U.S. control of Greenland is necessary for international security, escalating his campaign to annex the Arctic island.
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