Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft/Open AI partnership faces EU merger investigation

Boardroom move against Sam Altman revealed just how closely entwined the two companies are

By integrating OpenAI’s products into virtually every corner of its core businesses, Microsoft very quickly established itself as the undisputed leader of AI among big tech firms

Microsoft’s $13 billion investment into OpenAI is facing the potential of a full-blown European Union merger probe, after a boardroom move against chief executive Sam Altman late last year, laid bare deep ties between the two companies.

The European Commission said on Tuesday that it’s examining whether Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI might be reviewable under its merger rules. If found to reach the necessary conditions, regulators may start a formal probe into whether the arrangement ...