The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has approved Microsoft's $13 billion investment in OpenAI. After a two-year investigation, the CMA concluded that this investment does not lead to a merger between the two companies and that Microsoft does not have de facto control over OpenAI.
The CMA also noted that OpenAI's $100 billion artificial intelligence infrastructure project, launched in partnership with SoftBank, has reduced the company's dependence on Microsoft, which influenced the decision.
However, Joel Bamford, the CMA's director of mergers, stated that this decision does not mean the partnership is entirely free of potential competition concerns and that Microsoft can still have significant influence over OpenAI's commercial policies.
It is worth noting that this decision comes amid concerns about the potential of major tech company partnerships to limit competition. Microsoft and OpenAI welcomed the ruling, emphasizing their commitment to promoting competition and innovation in AI development.
