Antitrust enforcers with the Federal Trade Commission have opened a wide-ranging investigation into Microsoft’s business practices, starting off a big legal project that an incoming Trump administration must take up or abandon.

Summary

The FTC has launched an antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s cloud computing, AI, and cybersecurity practices, marking the most significant U.S. scrutiny of Microsoft since the 1990s.

Initiated under FTC Chair Lina Khan during the Biden administration, the probe follows a failed FTC attempt to block Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition.

The case’s future depends on whether the incoming Trump administration pursues it, with analysts predicting a softer stance on Big Tech, though VP-elect JD Vance has expressed support for antitrust efforts.

Broader tech investigations, including against Google and Nvidia, are also ongoing.