Microsoft, OpenAI rewrite partnership to eliminate exclusive model access, change revenue sharing

Microsoft, OpenAI rewrite partnership to eliminate exclusive model access, change revenue sharing

By Daniel Howley
Publication Date: 2026-04-27 14:05:00

Microsoft (MSFT) on Monday announced an amended long-term agreement with OpenAI (OPAI.PVT) that will see the company no longer have exclusive access to the AI startup’s intellectual property and AI models, while also altering its revenue-sharing deal with OpenAI.

The news comes ahead of Microsoft’s earnings report on Wednesday, and just six months after the two companies formalized an agreement that allowed OpenAI to transform into a for-profit business.

Under the terms of that deal, Microsoft was given exclusive access to OpenAI’s IP and models until the company achieved artificial general intelligence (AGI), or AI that’s as smart or smarter than humans. The new agreement, however, eliminates that clause, allowing OpenAI to provide its models to Microsoft’s competitors.

Sam Altman, left, CEO of OpenAI, appears onstage with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at OpenAI DevDay, OpenAI’s first developer conference, on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023 in San Francisco. (AP…