Open Markets Institute

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Firstpost - Microsoft, OpenAI's partnership comes under antitrust scrutiny in the UK, US

Europe Director Max von Thun was cited by Firstpost on why regulators must move quickly to “investigate and potentially unwind deals to prevent monopolization in the rapidly evolving AI sector.”

Microsoft’s partnership and investment in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is now under antitrust investigation in both the United States and the United Kingdom, as reported by British regulators and media outlets on Friday. This scrutiny follows internal conflicts at OpenAI, resulting in the sudden removal and subsequent reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman.

Anticipating potential regulatory action, Max von Thun from Open Markets Institute urged antitrust authorities to act swiftly, emphasizing the need to investigate and potentially unwind deals to prevent monopolization in the rapidly evolving AI sector.

European Union antitrust regulators are closely monitoring the situation, and the UK’s CMA has invited interested parties, including Google, to provide comments by January 3, 2024. The CMA’s decision on whether to pursue a full probe will depend on evidence of changes in OpenAI’s governance and Microsoft’s influence following the Altman affair.

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