Microsoft Faces UK Antitrust Probe Over Business Software Licensing, AI App Copilot

• Microsoft's business software ecosystem, including Word, Excel, and AI app Copilot, is under a UK antitrust probe.
• The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will investigate if Microsoft needs 'strategic market status' for tighter regulation.
• CMA cited 'wider concerns' about Microsoft's dominance in productivity software, operating systems, and database management.
• The probe comes amid the embedding of advanced AI into workplace tools, marking a 'pivotal moment' for the sector.
• CMA will also continue reviewing Microsoft and Amazon Web Services' efforts to improve competition in the cloud services market.