Microsoft and OpenAI have jointly announced a revised cooperation agreement to streamline their partnership model. Under the new terms, Microsoft's licensing rights have been converted to non-exclusive, and the company will no longer pay revenue shares to OpenAI.
Key points of the updated agreement include: 1. Microsoft remains OpenAI's primary cloud partner, with OpenAI products launching first on the Microsoft Azure platform, except when Microsoft is unable or unwilling to provide necessary technical support. OpenAI can now utilize any cloud service provider to deliver its full range of products and services to global customers. 2. Microsoft's intellectual property license for OpenAI models and related products remains valid until 2032, though the license has been changed to non-exclusive. 3. Microsoft will discontinue revenue share payments to OpenAI. 4. OpenAI's revenue sharing payments to Microsoft will continue until 2030, with the percentage rate unchanged and a total cap in place, unaffected by OpenAI's technological development progress. 5. Microsoft will continue as a significant shareholder, maintaining deep involvement in OpenAI's long-term development.
Both companies stated that the agreement revision aims to simplify their collaboration mechanism while preserving their ambitious joint vision. The partnership will continue across multiple areas including developing gigawatt-scale new data center computing power, jointly researching next-generation chips, and enhancing cybersecurity through artificial intelligence. The companies remain committed to advancing AI technology iteration and large-scale implementation to empower global individual users and organizations.
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