Ars Technica Article
OpenAI ends its exclusive partnership with Microsoft
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/04/no-longer-exclusive-microsoft-agrees-to-let-openai-see-other-cloud-providers/
This is a partial translation of GPT-5.5 Thinking content.
Since Microsoft invested $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019, the exclusive partnership between the two companies has been regarded as one of the strongest and most significant collaborative relationships in the AI industry. However, OpenAI and Microsoft announced a jointly modified agreement, under which OpenAI can now provide all of its products to customers through 'all cloud providers' beyond Microsoft's Azure.
This announcement clarified that Microsoft will continue to hold licenses to OpenAI's intellectual property and models through 2032, and that Azure will remain OpenAI's 'primary cloud partner' during that period, provided that Microsoft can continue to fulfill that role. [remainder of content omitted]
Partial Statement Content
https://openai.com/index/next-phase-of-microsoft-partnership/
Microsoft remains OpenAI's primary cloud partner, and OpenAI products will be released first on Azure, except in cases where Microsoft cannot support or chooses not to support the required features. OpenAI can now provide all of its products to customers through all cloud providers.
Microsoft will continue to hold intellectual property licenses to OpenAI's models and products through 2032. Microsoft's license is now non-exclusive.
Microsoft no longer pays OpenAI revenue sharing fees.
Revenue sharing fees that OpenAI pays to Microsoft will continue through 2030 regardless of OpenAI's technological progress, with the same rate applied as before but with a total cap.
As a major shareholder, Microsoft continues to participate directly in OpenAI's growth.
https://x.com/MSFTnews/status/2048749108127506936
