Microsoft loses its monopoly, but not its influence. According to the new arrangements, the company will remain the main cloud partner of OpenAI and will retain the license for its intellectual property until 2032 – reports Reuters.
However, the financial model is changing. Microsoft will no longer share profits from the sale of OpenAI products on its cloud, and OpenAI's financial obligations to the partner will be subject to a hard cap until 2030.
Importantly, settlements will no longer be contingent on potential technological breakthroughs – including the hypothetical achievement of artificial general intelligence (AGI). This is a clear simplification of the relationship, which is intended to give OpenAI greater operational and negotiation freedom.
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Business customers have the most to gain
Previous cooperation with Microsoft has been the foundation of OpenAI's expansion on the corporate market. However, as OpenAI began to cooperate with competing cloud providers, tensions emerged related to access to computing resources and opportunities to develop offers for business customers.
According to analysts, opening OpenAI models to other platforms may significantly increase demand among large organizations. — The agreement with Microsoft was key to building OpenAI's position in the enterprise segment, but now the company needs more flexibility, says Gil Luria from DA Davidson & Co.
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The market reacts calmly
Investors accepted the information without much emotion. Microsoft shares temporarily lost about 1.3%, only to quickly return to previous levels. Alphabet gained 1.6% and Amazon lost 0.6%. Neither company has officially commented on OpenAI's decision.
Microsoft has been intensively diversifying its AI portfolio for months. The company develops its own AI models and introduces solutions from other companies, such as Anthropic, to its ecosystem – including Copilot 365 for business.
As Barclays analysts emphasize, access to computing power remains one of the key limitations to the growth of the AI market.
— Microsoft no longer has to expand all data centers to meet the needs of OpenAI, which allows it to focus on its own cloud services, say Barclays analysts. In their opinion, the new model of cooperation is beneficial to both parties.
The changes may reduce regulatory risk
Ending the exclusive partnership could help Microsoft fend off antitrust charges emerging in the US, UK and European Union. This includes: about unfair advantage in the market of cloud and AI tools for business.
For OpenAI, this is a step towards greater independence and a broader market presence. For the entire industry – a signal that the artificial intelligence market is entering a new phase in which even the strongest alliances are no longer given once and for all.
