The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has increased its focus on Microsoft, issuing civil investigative requests to multiple competitors in the enterprise software and cloud computing spaces as it seeks information about the company’s licensing and product-bundling practices.
According to people familiar with the matter, at least half a dozen rivals have received the agency’s demands in recent weeks. The FTC is specifically asking about how Microsoft integrates AI, security and identity software into its product offerings, the sources said.
This latest outreach follows a separate inquiry opened earlier in 2024, when the agency - under then Chair Lina Khan - began investigating whether Microsoft used punitive licensing terms in productivity software to hinder customers from shifting data to alternative cloud platforms.
Competitors have voiced concerns that Microsoft’s commercial practices create barriers to moving workloads off its Azure cloud service. In one parallel development, Google lodged a complaint with the European Commission in September 2024 alleging Microsoft leveraged its dominant Windows Server operating system in ways that impede competition.
Requests for comment from Microsoft and the FTC were not answered immediately.
Separate from the regulatory reporting, an AI-driven stock evaluation service noted in the source material monitors Microsoft alongside thousands of other companies using more than 100 financial metrics. That service highlighted that it uses AI to surface investment ideas based on fundamentals, momentum and valuation, and it cited past winners such as Super Micro Computer (+185%) and AppLovin (+157%). The promotional segment posed the question of whether Microsoft is currently featured in any of its strategies or whether there are better opportunities in the same sector.
The ongoing information requests from the FTC and the existing investigations underscore heightened regulatory attention on how large technology firms package and license software and cloud services. The agency’s recent activity extends the scope of inquiries into market power and potential practices that industry rivals contend restrict competition.
Key points
- The FTC has sent civil investigative requests to at least six competitors in the enterprise software and cloud markets.
- The agency is probing Microsoft’s bundling of AI, security and identity software, and earlier in 2024 examined licensing terms tied to productivity software.
- Competitors, including Google, have filed complaints alleging Microsoft’s practices hinder competition in cloud and enterprise software markets.
Risks and uncertainties
- Regulatory outcomes remain uncertain - the FTC is collecting information but has not announced any enforcement action.
- Ongoing scrutiny could increase regulatory pressure on Microsoft and affect competitive dynamics in cloud computing and enterprise software markets.
- Responses from Microsoft and the FTC to requests for comment were not available at the time of reporting.