UK CMA Opens Probe Into Microsoft (MSFT) Software Practices

Andreas Halvorsen ranks among the richest hedge fund managers in the world. Accounting for a 4.13% share ($1.55 billion) in the billionaire’s portfolio, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) ranks as Andreas Halvorsen’s top stock pick.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated a probe into Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s commercial software infrastructure, the regulatory agency announced on May 14. The investigation attempts to assess whether product bundling, compatibility constraints, and embedded AI tools jeopardize fair competition.

The agency has set aside nine months for the probe, which will gather information from Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), its clients, and competitors. The CMA previously approved Microsoft last year in a probe for its collaboration with OpenAI, which began in 2023.

However, the tech giant wasn’t successful in another case involving competition in the cloud market. While some FAANG competitors were also investigated, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) received the weight of the ultimate ruling, which called it out for monopolistic software licensing tactics.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) altered its UK rules back in March to meet CMA concerns, lowering Azure outflow fees and getting rid of limits on switching and multicloud compatibility.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) develops and sells a wide range of software, cloud services, devices, and business solutions, serving both individual users and enterprise customers worldwide.

While we acknowledge the risk and potential of MSFT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MSFT and that has 10,000% upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 33 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 15 Stocks That Will Make You Rich in 10 Years 

Disclosure: None. Follow Insider Monkey on Google News.

1281292 - 11759070 - 1