Microsoft gains nonexclusive OpenAI license through 2032, ends exclusivity
OpenAI and Microsoft just changed up their partnership, dropping exclusivity rules and resolving the legal risk tied to OpenAI's $50 billion deal with Amazon.
Now, Microsoft has a nonexclusive license to OpenAI's tech until 2032, so OpenAI tools can run on more cloud platforms, not just Microsoft Azure (though Microsoft Azure is still their main partner).
OpenAI pays Microsoft until 2030
Money-wise, Microsoft no longer pays revenue shares to OpenAI, but OpenAI will keep paying Microsoft until 2030.
Even though Microsoft lost its exclusive hosting rights for APIs, it still owns about 27% of OpenAI's for-profit side and benefits from any growth, including sales through Amazon Web Services.
This move also signals a shift in tech partnerships toward more flexible and open collaborations.