By Geoffrey Seiler, The Motley Fool
Publication Date: 2026-06-05 20:35:00
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) was one of the first big tech companies to go all in on artificial intelligence (AI). However, this was done through a large early investment in OpenAI and a partnership with the large language model (LLM) maker. It used access to OpenAI’s models to draw customers to its Azure cloud computing offering and to power its AI assistant co-pilots.
While this helped drive growth, it left Microsoft relying on another company’s AI technology and not its own. As OpenAI grew bigger, it needed to move beyond Microsoft, and the two companies’ relationship has changed. Microsoft still owns about 27% of OpenAI and has privileged access to its models and an exclusive license to its intellectual property (IP) through 2032, but OpenAI is now working with other cloud providers, including Amazon and Alphabet.
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