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Microsoft and OpenAI End Exclusivity, Restructure Revenue Share

2026-04-27 07:05

Microsoft and OpenAI announced a restructured partnership that ends the exclusivity of Microsoft's IP license (now non-exclusive through 2032) and allows OpenAI to serve customers across any cloud provider. Revenue share flows from OpenAI to Microsoft at the current 20% rate with a total cap through 2030—the direction of payment was previously reversed—and Microsoft no longer owes OpenAI a revenue percentage. Microsoft retains its equity stake and first-launch rights on Azure for new OpenAI products. The OpenAI announcement frames the change as providing "flexibility, certainty and a focus on delivering the benefits of AI broadly."

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