
Microsoft has first rights of refusal for AI infrastructure
The development also means that Microsoft will no longer be the only exclusive partner for OpenAI when it comes to infrastructure for training AI or related workloads.
However, in a blog post published this week, Microsoft has clarified that it will have the right of first refusal.
“This new agreement also includes changes to the exclusivity on new capacity, moving to a model where Microsoft has a right of first refusal (ROFR). To further support OpenAI, Microsoft has approved OpenAI’s ability to build additional capacity, primarily for research and training of models,” the company wrote.
In fact, the other elements of the partnership, slated till 2030, between Microsoft and OpenAI are also not changing.
Microsoft will have the rights to OpenAI IP, inclusive of both model and infrastructure, for use within its products, such as the Copilot, the company wrote, adding that the OpenAI API is exclusive to Azure, will run on Azure, and is also available through the Azure OpenAI Service.
Moreover, both companies will continue to honor their revenue-sharing agreements, flowing both ways.