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On Thu, 13 Mar, 8:03 AM UTC
4 Sources
[1]
Trump's FTC pushes forward on Microsoft antitrust probe.
FTC staffers have continued to work on the investigation in recent weeks according to Bloomberg, a sign that Trump-appointed FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson is going to prioritize scrutiny of tech giants. The probe, launched under Biden in November, is looking into Microsoft's AI projects (including its partnership with OpenAI), cloud and software licensing business, and cybersecurity services. These investigations can take years to conclude, giving Microsoft plenty of opportunities to kick up a stink about it.
[2]
FTC Reportedly 'Moves Ahead' With Microsoft Antitrust Probe
Microsoft shares are little changed in premarket trading Thursday but have lost more than 7% of their value in the past 12 months through Wednesday. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is "moving ahead" with its antitrust investigation of Microsoft (MSFT) that was opened during the closing days of the Biden administration, according to a Bloomberg report, showing that the watchdog under the Trump White House is continuing the crackdown on Big Tech. According to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, FTC staff in recent weeks have continued to work on the Microsoft probe. The report also said that Lina Khan, the former FTC chair under the Biden administration, had personally signed off on a civil investigative demand that was written by FTC staff and sent to the tech giant in late 2024. Bloomberg said it had viewed a copy of the demand, which is similar to a subpoena, and requires the tech firm to provide the agency with data about its artificial intelligence (AI) operations dating to 2016, according to the report. The news agency also reported that the FTC "wants to determine whether Microsoft's profits from other parts of the business give it an edge over other AI companies." Investopedia has not independently reviewed a copy of the civil investigative demand. Microsoft and the FTC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Republican lawyer Andrew Ferguson, who was nominated by U.S. President Donald Trump, succeeded Khan as FTC head in January. Khan was known for being tough on both mergers and Big Tech. Microsoft shares are little changed in premarket trading Thursday but have lost more than 7% of their value in the past 12 months through Wednesday.
[3]
Report: FTC to Continue Biden Administration's Antitrust Probe of Microsoft | PYMNTS.com
An antitrust probe of Microsoft that was launched in the last days of the Biden administration will reportedly continue under the Trump administration. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff have continued gathering information for the investigation, Bloomberg reported Wednesday (March 12), citing unnamed sources. Neither the FTC nor Microsoft immediately replied to PYMNTS' request for comment. According to the Bloomberg report, the FTC sent Microsoft a civil investigative demand late last year demanding information about the company's artificial intelligence (AI) operations, data centers, software licensing practices and decision to cut funding on its own AI projects after making a deal with OpenAI. One company that was asked for information as part of the investigation told Bloomberg that the FTC wants to determine whether Microsoft has an edge over other AI companies because of the profits it earns from other parts of the business, per the report. The FTC's questions about the company's software licensing practices may relate to competitors' complaints about Microsoft bundling its office productivity, security software and cloud offerings, which makes it harder for them to compete, according to the report. Microsoft's decision to cancel some of its own work on AI after investing in OpenAI and using that company's software is also under scrutiny by the FTC because that move may have reduced competition in the field, per the report. Wide-ranging antitrust investigations like the one targeting Microsoft can take years and don't always result in a case brought by the FTC, the report said. Microsoft spokesmen Alex Haurek said in the report: "We are working cooperatively with the agency." It was reported in November that the FTC was set to investigate allegedly anticompetitive practices at Microsoft's cloud computing business, focusing on allegations that the tech giant illegally uses the market power of its Office 365 productivity software to benefit its Azure cloud service. In December, it was reported that Microsoft formally requested an investigation into the FTC after reports surfaced that details of the antitrust investigation were leaked. The company asked the regulator's inspector general to examine whether senior management at the agency disclosed nonpublic information about the probe.
[4]
FTC advances extensive antitrust investigation into Microsoft - Bloomberg By Investing.com
Investing.com -- The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is progressing with a comprehensive antitrust investigation into Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT), according to Bloomberg, citing individials familiar with the matter. This probe was initiated during the final days of the Biden Administration and is now being pursued by Andrew Ferguson, the new FTC Chair appointed by Donald Trump. The continued investigation indicates that Ferguson is prioritizing the examination of tech giants. The FTC team has been actively working on this investigation in recent weeks. They have been meeting with various companies and groups to gather information. In late 2021, the FTC issued a civil investigative demand to Microsoft, which functions similarly to a subpoena. This legal document, a copy of which Bloomberg had access to, requires Microsoft to provide extensive data about its AI operations. The FTC wants information dating back to 2016, including the costs involved in training models and obtaining data. The FTC is also requesting details about Microsoft's data centers, the company's challenges in securing sufficient computing power to meet customer demands, and the firm's software licensing practices. The commission is further examining Microsoft's decision to cut funding for its own artificial intelligence projects after partnering with OpenAI. This move could potentially be seen as detrimental to competition in the rapidly growing AI market.
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The Federal Trade Commission, under Trump-appointed Chairman Andrew Ferguson, is advancing a comprehensive antitrust investigation into Microsoft, focusing on its AI projects, cloud services, and software licensing practices.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is pushing forward with an extensive antitrust investigation into Microsoft, initially launched during the final days of the Biden administration. The probe, now under the leadership of Trump-appointed FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, signals a continued focus on scrutinizing tech giants 1.
The investigation encompasses several key areas of Microsoft's operations:
FTC staff have been actively working on the probe in recent weeks, meeting with various companies and groups to gather information 4.
In late 2021, the FTC issued a civil investigative demand to Microsoft, similar to a subpoena. This document, viewed by Bloomberg, requires Microsoft to provide extensive data about its AI operations dating back to 2016, including:
The FTC is particularly interested in determining whether Microsoft's profits from other parts of its business give it an unfair advantage over other AI companies. Additionally, the investigation is examining:
Microsoft has stated that it is "working cooperatively with the agency" 3. However, in December, the company formally requested an investigation into the FTC after reports surfaced that details of the antitrust probe were leaked. Microsoft asked the regulator's inspector general to examine whether senior management at the agency disclosed nonpublic information about the investigation 3.
Despite the ongoing probe, Microsoft's shares have shown little change in recent premarket trading. However, the company's stock has lost more than 7% of its value in the past 12 months through Wednesday 2.
This wide-ranging antitrust investigation into Microsoft could potentially take years to conclude. While it doesn't always result in a case brought by the FTC, it underscores the continued regulatory scrutiny faced by major tech companies 3. The probe's focus on AI and cloud services also highlights the growing importance of these sectors in the tech industry and their potential impact on market competition.
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The US Federal Trade Commission has initiated a comprehensive antitrust investigation into Microsoft, focusing on its cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity practices. This probe aims to assess potential market dominance and anticompetitive behaviors across these sectors.
9 Sources
9 Sources
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released a report highlighting potential antitrust issues in partnerships between major tech companies and AI startups, focusing on Microsoft-OpenAI and Amazon/Google-Anthropic collaborations.
6 Sources
6 Sources
Google has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Microsoft's exclusive cloud partnership with OpenAI, citing potential anti-competitive practices in the AI and cloud computing markets.
6 Sources
6 Sources
The Biden administration is making a last-minute regulatory push, with the FTC leading efforts to investigate AI investments and potential antitrust violations in the tech industry before the transition to the Trump administration.
2 Sources
2 Sources
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has decided not to investigate Microsoft's acquisition of certain assets from Inflection AI, including the hiring of key employees. This decision comes after a review of the partnership between the two companies.
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13 Sources
