FTC Continues Antitrust Investigation of Microsoft
March 13, 2025 – The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is pushing ahead with a wide-ranging antitrust investigation into Microsoft, according to a recent Bloomberg News report. The probe, which began during the Biden administration, involves scrutinizing various aspects of the tech giant’s business practices.
According to sources familiar with the matter, FTC staff have been meeting with companies and other groups in recent weeks to gather information and assess the scope of Microsoft’s market influence. Microsoft and the FTC have not yet provided official comments.
This investigation, which was initiated last year, encompasses Microsoft’s software licensing and cloud computing operations. The FTC, under then-chair Lina Khan’s leadership, approved the probe before her departure. Andrew Ferguson is the current chair, following President Donald Trump’s taking office in January.
The FTC is examining potential abuses of market dominance in productivity software, specifically focusing on licensing terms that might discourage customers from switching from Microsoft’s Azure cloud service to competing platforms. The agency has requested details about Microsoft’s data centers, the challenges it faces in meeting customer computing demands, and information concerning planned licensing changes for later in the year, the Bloomberg report revealed.
Additionally, the FTC is scrutinizing Microsoft’s decision to reduce funding for its internal artificial intelligence projects after partnering with OpenAI. The agency is also investigating the company’s cybersecurity and artificial intelligence product practices.
This renewed focus on Microsoft’s business practices underscores the ongoing regulatory scrutiny of major tech companies and their impact on competition within the technology sector.
