Satya Nadella says Microsoft-OpenAI partnership is shifting, but still strong

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the company’s partnership with OpenAI is still strong, even as it changes. Speaking on Bloomberg’s The Circuit with Emily Chang interview, Nadella acknowledged that as OpenAI grows, the dynamic between the two companies is shifting. However, the partnership is still strong.

Satya Nadella says Microsoft gains as OpenAI grows

Nadella confirmed OpenAI is now Microsoft’s biggest infrastructure customer. “Having that multifaceted partnership is what we are really focused on,” he said. “Why would anyone of us want to go upset about that?”

The two companies are still tied through a contract that runs until 2030, though a revision this year allows OpenAI to work with other cloud providers too. Nadella says that’s expected. “Will they have other partners? Absolutely.“

Microsoft’s $13.75 billion backing helped OpenAI commercialize tools like ChatGPT. Nadella says Microsoft profits as ChatGPT grows. “Every day that ChatGPT succeeds is a fantastic day for Microsoft.”

Also read: OpenAI is fighting back The New York Times’ data preservation demand

Copilot faces tough competition from ChatGPT

Microsoft is also racing to build its own AI-powered consumer tools. It brought in Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of DeepMind, to help reboot its consumer strategy. His goal: build assistants that feel personal and emotionally intelligent.

Also read: OpenAI Expands ChatGPT Integrations for Business Users

Still, the numbers are clear—ChatGPT was downloaded over 100 million times last month. Microsoft’s Copilot download stands at 20 times less. But Nadella isn’t worried. Whether users choose ChatGPT or Copilot, Microsoft powers much of it behind the scenes.