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.
OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT Gov, a secure, government-tailored version of its AI chatbot designed to enhance efficiency and service delivery across U.S. federal, state, and local agencies.
Microsoft has adjusted its long-standing partnership with OpenAI, ending its exclusivity as the sole provider of cloud infrastructure for the artificial intelligence firm. The shift comes as OpenAI diversifies its cloud partnerships with companies like SoftBank, Oracle, and others, as part of its re
Microsoft plans to invest nearly $100B in AI-enabled data centres by FY 2025, aiming to drive global innovation and maintain U.S. leadership in AI technology.
OpenAI has secured $6.6 billion in funding, potentially valuing the company at $157 billion. Despite recent leadership changes, investor confidence remains strong, with projections of $3.6 billion in revenue this year and expectations for significant growth ahead.
libaba has unveiled Qwen 2.5-Max, a new AI model that it claims surpasses DeepSeek-V3, OpenAI’s GPT-4o, and Meta’s Llama-3.1-405B across multiple benchmarks. The release, made on the first day of the Lunar New Year, underscores the growing competition among Chinese AI developers.
OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT Gov, a secure, government-tailored version of its AI chatbot designed to enhance efficiency and service delivery across U.S. federal, state, and local agencies.
Millions of people across East and Southeast Asia are starting celebrations for Lunar New Year.
A new opinion poll shows 85% of Greenlanders oppose the idea of their island joining the United States, following Donald Trump's repeated calls for the US to take control of the semi-autonomous territory.
Russian investigators confirm a Pantsir-S1 missile downed Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243. Baku demands accountability as tensions rise over Moscow's next steps.
BP aims to join the Karabakh oil field project in Azerbaijan by 2025, with negotiations underway to finalize terms with SOCAR for this strategic offshore development.
BP Azerbaijan has announced plans to build a new compression platform at the Shah Deniz gas field to optimize production, company spokesperson Tamam Bayatly confirmed in a press briefing.
Protests erupted in Berlin against the far-right coincided with an AfD campaign event in Halle, as tensions rise over potential CDU-AfD coalition talks ahead of next month’s elections.
The World Bank Group has approved a new Country Partnership Framework for Azerbaijan, outlining strategic priorities to support the country's transition to a more competitive and sustainable economy, focusing on productivity, job creation, and climate resilience.
China’s Spring Festival box office surpasses 600 million yuan, highlighting cinema’s central role in Lunar New Year celebrations and the resilience of the country’s film industry.
European and Asian shares slumped on Monday as investors weighed the implications of Chinese startup DeepSeek's launch of a free open-source artificial intelligence model to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT.
A Chinese container ship has completed its first non-stop voyage to Germany marking the launch of a "China-Europe express" shipping route.
DeepSeek's AI Assistant tops the U.S. App Store, surpassing ChatGPT, sparking debate on AI supremacy and the effectiveness of U.S. tech export controls targeting China's advancements.
libaba has unveiled Qwen 2.5-Max, a new AI model that it claims surpasses DeepSeek-V3, OpenAI’s GPT-4o, and Meta’s Llama-3.1-405B across multiple benchmarks. The release, made on the first day of the Lunar New Year, underscores the growing competition among Chinese AI developers.
OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT Gov, a secure, government-tailored version of its AI chatbot designed to enhance efficiency and service delivery across U.S. federal, state, and local agencies.
Millions of people across East and Southeast Asia are starting celebrations for Lunar New Year.
A new opinion poll shows 85% of Greenlanders oppose the idea of their island joining the United States, following Donald Trump's repeated calls for the US to take control of the semi-autonomous territory.
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