Microsoft announced on Tuesday a collaboration with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service to expand global network coverage.
This move demonstrates the software giant's willingness to partner with multiple companies under Tesla CEO Elon Musk, even as the world's richest person is currently engaged in a lawsuit against Microsoft's partner, OpenAI.
In a blog post, Microsoft's Chief Sustainability Officer, Melanie Nakagawa, stated: "By partnering with Starlink, Microsoft is combining low Earth orbit satellite connectivity with community deployment models and local ecosystem partnerships."
She wrote that Microsoft is working with Starlink and a Kenyan internet service provider on a plan to provide connectivity to 450 community centers across the country.
This partnership is expected to generate additional demand for Musk's space company. SpaceX already holds contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA, and is anticipated to go public later this year.
According to a January legal filing, Musk is seeking to reclaim up to $134 billion from the OpenAI Foundation in his lawsuit against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The nonprofit organization holds over $100 billion in equity in the for-profit AI lab.
Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015 alongside several individuals, including LinkedIn founder and Microsoft board member Reid Hoffman.
Musk has frequently criticized Microsoft on his social media platform X, stating earlier this month that Microsoft "bears responsibility to investigate" Hoffman's connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Hoffman has expressed deep regret for having met Epstein through fundraising ties with MIT.
Earlier this month, Musk announced that SpaceX would merge with his artificial intelligence startup, xAI. xAI developed the Grok large language model and chatbot, which is gaining popularity as a technology application.
Last year, Microsoft announced that its Foundry cloud software for building AI applications had added support for the Grok model.
For years, Microsoft has been committed to providing internet access through technology, including within the United States.
Nakagawa stated on Tuesday that Microsoft, having set a goal in 2022 to provide internet access to over 250 million people by the end of 2025, has now expanded its reach to more than 299 million people.
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