OpenAI has warned European regulators that competition in the artificial intelligence market is being distorted by the entrenched positions of Big Tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Google. The company, now valued at $500 billion after its latest secondary share sale, told EU antitrust officials that this dominance could hinder fair access to cloud services, data, and app distribution channels essential for AI growth.
During a meeting on September 24 with European Commission antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, OpenAI raised concerns about “vertically integrated platforms” that control both the infrastructure and user ecosystems upon which AI services depend. The minutes of the meeting, recently made public, reveal that the ChatGPT maker urged regulators to take timely action to prevent large platforms from locking in users and extending their dominance into AI.
The remarks echo OpenAI’s previously stated position on fair competition in the evolving AI sector. The company emphasized that access to computing power and user data is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few firms, making it difficult for smaller players to scale their services or compete on equal terms.
Despite its partnerships with Apple and Microsoft, OpenAI’s comments reflect growing tensions within the industry. Microsoft remains a major investor and provides key infrastructure for OpenAI’s models, while Apple integrates ChatGPT into its new Apple Intelligence suite. Yet OpenAI maintains that such relationships do not insulate it from systemic challenges caused by market concentration or the risk of restrictive platform control.
So far, there is no indication that the European Commission has launched a formal investigation based on these discussions. However, regulators are already examining how large tech companies may be leveraging their dominance in sectors like search, cloud, and advertising to gain an advantage in AI markets.
OpenAI’s call for “vigilance” highlights a broader debate over who will control the foundation of next-generation AI. As the technology becomes deeply integrated into daily apps and devices, questions of access, competition, and fairness are set to define the next phase of the AI industry’s growth in Europe and beyond.
(via Bloomberg)
