OpenAI and Microsoft Reaffirm Strong Partnership Amid New Deals

OpenAI and Microsoft have issued a joint statement to clarify that their partnership remains rock-solid, even as OpenAI announces new funding and partners like Amazon. The statement emphasizes that nothing about these new developments changes the core terms of their relationship, which were last updated in October 2025. Key points include that Microsoft retains its exclusive license to OpenAI’s intellectual property, the revenue share arrangement is unchanged, and Azure remains the exclusive cloud provider for all stateless OpenAI APIs—even those used by third-party collaborations like Amazon’s. OpenAI’s first-party products will continue to run on Azure, and the definition of AGI and the process for determining it remain the same. The partnership is designed to allow both companies to pursue independent opportunities while collaborating closely. Why it matters: This move is a strategic signal to the tech world that OpenAI’s expanding web of alliances won’t dilute Microsoft’s central role, reinforcing that Azure is the backbone of OpenAI’s commercial operations even as the startup diversifies its relationships.