EU Regulator Probes Microsoft's Stake in ChatGPT Maker OpenAI

The European Union's competition authority is investigating Microsoft's investment in artificial intelligence firm OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, to determine if it requires a more in-depth review under EU merger regulations.

The European Commission's examination reflects Brussels's attempt to keep pace with rapid AI advancements and prevent monopolistic behavior.

EU antitrust head Margrethe Vestager, meeting with tech leaders in California, emphasized the need for competition in emerging AI markets.

She encouraged industry and experts to report any potential anticompetitive concerns and noted the careful monitoring of AI collaborations to maintain market fairness.

In addition to discussions with CEOs Tim Cook of Apple and Sundar Pichai of Google, Vestager will also converse with OpenAI executives.

ChatGPT's launch in November 2023 was a milestone for AI, quickly becoming the most swiftly adopted application at that time.

Microsoft announced a significant $13 billion investment in OpenAI last year, which included a position on the board following leadership challenges faced by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

The British competition authority is also assessing the Microsoft-OpenAI relationship to see if it constitutes a merger.