Close Menu
TechBrunchTechBrunch
  • Home
  • AI
  • Apps
  • Crypto
  • Security
  • Startups
  • TechCrunch
  • Venture

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news

Subscribe my Newsletter for New Posts & tips Let's stay updated!

What's Hot

Now, deals accusing customers of “spoofing” spies

June 3, 2025

Phone Chipmaker Qualcomm fixes 3 zero-days exploited by hackers

June 3, 2025

Hinge CMO Jackie Juntos wants to help Zers Gen Zers become lonely

June 3, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
TechBrunchTechBrunch
  • Home
  • AI

    OpenAI seeks to extend human lifespans with the help of longevity startups

    January 17, 2025

    Farewell to the $200 million woolly mammoth and TikTok

    January 17, 2025

    Nord Security founder launches Nexos.ai to help enterprises move AI projects from pilot to production

    January 17, 2025

    Data proves it remains difficult for startups to raise capital, even though VCs invested $75 billion in the fourth quarter

    January 16, 2025

    Apple suspends AI notification summaries for news after generating false alerts

    January 16, 2025
  • Apps

    Hinge CMO Jackie Juntos wants to help Zers Gen Zers become lonely

    June 3, 2025

    Reddit allows you to hide content such as posts and comments from your user profile

    June 3, 2025

    Tiktok deploys AI-powered smart keyword filters to limit content you don't want to see

    June 3, 2025

    SNAP adds new tools to build Bitmoji games

    June 3, 2025

    iOS 19: All the rumor changes that Apple could bring to the new operating system

    June 3, 2025
  • Crypto

    GameStop bought $500 million in Bitcoin

    May 28, 2025

    Vote for the session you want to watch in 2025

    May 26, 2025

    Save $900 + 90% from 2 tickets to destroy 2025 in the last 24 hours

    May 25, 2025

    Only 3 days left to save up to $900 to destroy the 2025 pass

    May 23, 2025

    Starting from up to $900 from Ticep, 90% off +1 in 2025

    May 22, 2025
  • Security

    Phone Chipmaker Qualcomm fixes 3 zero-days exploited by hackers

    June 3, 2025

    Indian grocery startup Kiranapro has been hacked and its server has been removed, CEO confirms

    June 3, 2025

    Health Giant Kettering is still facing chaos after a few weeks of ransomware attack

    June 3, 2025

    Vanta Bug has made its customer data public to other customers

    June 2, 2025

    NSO Group calls the judge for a new trial, calling $167 million in damages “outrageous”

    June 2, 2025
  • Startups

    7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

    March 24, 2025

    AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

    March 24, 2025

    20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

    March 22, 2025

    Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

    March 21, 2025

    Startup Weekly: Wiz bets paid off at M&A Rich Week

    March 21, 2025
  • TechCrunch

    OpenSea takes a long-term view with a focus on UX despite NFT sales remaining low

    February 8, 2024

    AI will save software companies' growth dreams

    February 8, 2024

    B2B and B2C are not about who buys, but how you sell

    February 5, 2024

    It's time for venture capital to break away from fast fashion

    February 3, 2024

    a16z's Chris Dixon believes it's time to focus on blockchain use cases rather than speculation

    February 2, 2024
  • Venture

    Now, deals accusing customers of “spoofing” spies

    June 3, 2025

    The week left to boost your brand with side events at TC on all stages

    June 3, 2025

    Learn how Toyota and NLX succeeded in the TC session: AI

    June 3, 2025

    TC Session: AI Trivia Countdown – 1 Ticket Score

    June 3, 2025

    2 days until the TC session: UC Berkeley's AI

    June 3, 2025
TechBrunchTechBrunch

Microsoft faces UK antitrust investigation over hiring of Inflexion AI founders and employees

TechBrunchBy TechBrunchJuly 16, 20242 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Telegram LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Telegram Email


Microsoft is facing a full regulatory investigation in the UK after it hired the core team from Inflection AI, a US-based rival to OpenAI in which Microsoft had previously invested.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today announced that it will open a “phase one” merger investigation, kicking off a 40-working day investigation period during which it will gather evidence and decide whether to proceed with a full investigation.

The news comes four months after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella launched a new consumer AI division spearheaded by Inflection AI founders, including deep learning scientist Karen Simonyan and Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleiman. At the same time, Nadella confirmed that a number of other Inflection AI members have joined Microsoft's new AI division (Bloomberg reported that most of the additions were in fact members), including Jordan Hoffman, an AI scientist and engineer who now leads Microsoft's UK AI hub in London.

At the heart of the concerns are big tech companies embracing a new M&A technique designed to skirt regulatory scrutiny around AI: “quasi-mergers,” which can include anything from strategic investments to acquiring startup founders and tech talent.

Extensive research

Today's announcement is not a huge surprise, as the CMA revealed in April that it was conducting preliminary investigations into three AI partnerships, one of which was Microsoft's recent investment in Mistral AI, a French startup (double unicorn) developing AI-based models. The CMA quickly concluded that with Microsoft's stake of less than 1%, the tech giant did not believe it had any meaningful influence over the startup's future direction and therefore the investment was not subject to investigation under current merger regulations.

The CMA is also currently investigating Amazon's $4 billion investment in US-based AI company Anthropic, while, like its European counterpart, the European Commission, is expected to launch an in-depth investigation into Microsoft's close partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI.

The stage one investigation is currently underway, and the CMA must make a decision by September 11 on whether the adoption amounts to a “merger” and, if so, whether it is likely to harm competition in the UK. If the CMA determines that it is, the matter will proceed to a more detailed “stage two” investigation, which could take around six months.



Source link

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

OpenAI seeks to extend human lifespans with the help of longevity startups

January 17, 2025

Farewell to the $200 million woolly mammoth and TikTok

January 17, 2025

Nord Security founder launches Nexos.ai to help enterprises move AI projects from pilot to production

January 17, 2025

Data proves it remains difficult for startups to raise capital, even though VCs invested $75 billion in the fourth quarter

January 16, 2025

Apple suspends AI notification summaries for news after generating false alerts

January 16, 2025

Nvidia releases more tools and guardrails to help enterprises adopt AI agents

January 16, 2025

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Top Reviews
Editors Picks

7 days left: Founders and VCs save over $300 on all stage passes

March 24, 2025

AI chip startup Furiosaai reportedly rejecting $800 million acquisition offer from Meta

March 24, 2025

20 Hottest Open Source Startups of 2024

March 22, 2025

Andrill may build a weapons factory in the UK

March 21, 2025
About Us
About Us

Welcome to Tech Brunch, your go-to destination for cutting-edge insights, news, and analysis in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cryptocurrency, Technology, and Startups. At Tech Brunch, we are passionate about exploring the latest trends, innovations, and developments shaping the future of these dynamic industries.

Our Picks

Now, deals accusing customers of “spoofing” spies

June 3, 2025

Phone Chipmaker Qualcomm fixes 3 zero-days exploited by hackers

June 3, 2025

Hinge CMO Jackie Juntos wants to help Zers Gen Zers become lonely

June 3, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news

Subscribe my Newsletter for New Posts & tips Let's stay updated!

© 2025 TechBrunch. Designed by TechBrunch.
  • Home
  • About Tech Brunch
  • Advertise with Tech Brunch
  • Contact us
  • DMCA Notice
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.