Microsoft / Inflection inquiry

The CMA is investigating Microsoft Corporation’s (Microsoft) hiring of certain former employees of Inflection AI, Inc. (Inflection) and its entry into associated arrangements with Inflection.

Statutory timetable

Phase 1 Action
4 September 2024 Decision announced
16 July 2024 Launch of new merger inquiry
24 April 2024 to 9 May 2024 Invitation to comment

Phase 1

CMA clearance decision

4 September 2024: The CMA has cleared Microsoft’s hiring of certain former employees of Inflection and its entry into associated arrangements with Inflection.

Launch of merger inquiry

16 July 2024: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.

Invitation to comment: closed

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that Microsoft Corporation’s hiring of certain former employees of Inflection and its entry into associated arrangements with Inflection has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments from any interested party.

Contact

Send written representations about any competition or public interest issues to [email protected].

Your name and contact details are your personal data. In collecting, receiving, storing, accessing and using your personal data, the CMA, as controller, is processing your personal data. The CMA processes personal data in accordance with data protection law. The CMA is processing your personal data so that it can contact you again, should it need further help or information from you, in order to carry out its merger work under Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. For more information about how the CMA processes personal data and your rights relating to that data, please see our Privacy Notice.

Updates to this page

Published 24 April 2024
Last updated 24 October 2024 + show all updates
  1. Full text decision published.

  2. Clearance decision announced, and summary of phase 1 decision published.

  3. Commencement notice published

  4. First published.