OpenAI, Microsoft Revise Partnership, End Exclusivity

OpenAI and Microsoft announced a revised partnership agreement on Monday, ending Microsoft's exclusive access to OpenAI's artificial intelligence models and products while maintaining their close collaboration.

The changes allow OpenAI to offer its products and services to customers on any cloud provider, including competitors such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud. Microsoft will remain OpenAI's primary cloud partner, with its Azure platform receiving OpenAI products first unless Microsoft cannot or chooses not to support the required capabilities. Microsoft's license to OpenAI's intellectual property for models and products will extend through 2032 but is now nonexclusive. OpenAI will continue paying Microsoft a revenue share through 2030, while Microsoft will no longer provide a revenue share to OpenAI. The agreement also eliminates a previous clause tied to the achievement of artificial general intelligence, which had outlined potential shifts in control.

The companies described the update as a simplification that enhances predictability and flexibility. "The greater predictability in the amended agreement strengthens our joint ability to build and operate AI platforms...