The Competition and Markets Authority plans to probe Microsoft’s business software unit and assess granting it “strategic market status,” amid concerns it could hinder AI-era competition. Rivals like Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud allege higher

2026-03-31

The Competition and Markets Authority plans to probe Microsoft’s business software unit and assess granting it “strategic market status,” amid concerns it could hinder AI-era competition. Rivals like Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud allege higher costs running Microsoft software off Azure. The CMA also flagged risks from Windows and Office dominance. While no new cloud rules were imposed, Microsoft and AWS pledged easier switching. The CMA will review progress in six months; Microsoft said it will cooperate.