Microsoft Aims to Knock OpenAI Antitrust Case Off Its Hands, Says Law360
By Rachel Riley (December 15, 2025, 8:16 PM EST) — In two motions filed in a California federal court, Microsoft argues that a proposed class action alleging the company bullied OpenAI into a cloud computing agreement is factually and economically baseless. The plaintiffs, ChatGPT subscribers, are accused of trying to bypass OpenAI’s arbitration clause found in the service terms, a move Microsoft contends undermines the case.
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Where this matters: Microsoft challenges the gist of the class action and emphasizes arbitration, a point that could shape both the plaintiff’s path forward and the broader conversation about how large tech companies negotiate cloud arrangements. The debate hinges on whether there was coercion or purely voluntary interest in the OpenAI- Microsoft cloud deal, and what that means for antitrust scrutiny in tech partnerships.
Controversy sparks discussion: If you were assessing this case, would you view Microsoft’s arbitration emphasis as a legitimate gatekeeping move, or as a reasonable contractual shield? What do you think is the bigger takeaway for customers and competition policy when major providers shape access to AI services via bundled cloud deals?
