Microsoft becomes 27% shareholder

OpenAI has finalized, after nearly a year of intense negotiations, its restructuring into a public‑benefit corporation (PBC) and transferred a 27 % ownership stake to Microsoft, valued at roughly $135 billion. This deal eliminates the legal uncertainty that has loomed over the AI leader since its business model shift in 2024, and paves the way for a deeper partnership between the two major players in the sector. The agreement, sealed as a recapitalization arrangement, confirms Microsoft’s role as OpenAI’s primary cloud partner while granting it exclusive access to AI models until 2032, or until any eventual verification of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Microsoft’s decision to raise its stake to 27 % serves several strategic goals. First, it secures access to the flagship ChatGPT technology and the next generation of multimodal models, which are essential for Azure’s competitiveness against Google Cloud and AWS. Second, the sizable share gives Microsoft significant influence over OpenAI’s governance while preserving the nonprofit entity that oversees ethical and safety decisions. This dual dynamic—shared control and independence of the research mission—aims to reassure regulators, notably the attorneys general of California and Delaware, who demanded clarity on intellectual‑property ownership and licensing rights.

Financially, the $135 billion valuation places OpenAI among the highest‑valued startups in tech, behind giants such as SpaceX and Stripe. The additional capital from the recapitalization will accelerate development of new models, expand compute infrastructure, and strengthen AI‑safety research teams. In return, Microsoft receives a right of first refusal on any critical technology, as well as a massive cloud‑computing contract projected to generate tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue for Azure.

Geopolitically, the move consolidates U.S. influence in the AI race as China intensifies its national programs. The public‑benefit corporation framework, which mandates transparency about societal objectives, could serve as a template for other public‑private initiatives seeking to balance rapid innovation with ethical responsibility. Observers caution, however, that concentrating power between two dominant actors raises competition and monopoly concerns that may attract scrutiny from European and American antitrust authorities.

In sum, Microsoft’s acquisition of a 27 % stake marks a decisive turning point for OpenAI: it ensures financial stability, guarantees privileged cloud resources, and establishes a shared governance model that could become the industry benchmark for artificial‑intelligence development. The coming months will be crucial to see how this alliance translates into new products, security standards, and public policies surrounding AI.

Sources:

• Microsoft to Get 27% of OpenAI, Access to AI Models Until 2032 - Bloomberg

• OpenAI completes restructure, solidifying Microsoft as a major shareholder - CNBC

• OpenAI completes for‑profit restructuring and grants Microsoft a 27% stake in the company | Fortune