Microsoft faces UK competition investigation over hiring of AI startup’s founder and key staff

AP Business Writer

LONDON (AP) — British regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into Microsoft’s hiring of an AI startup’s key staff over concerns that it could thwart competition in the booming artificial intelligence market. The Competition and Markets Authority said Tuesday that its review of the hirings from Inflection AI turned up “sufficient information” to open an investigation. Microsoft hired Suleyman to head up its consumer artificial intelligence business earlier this year, and brought over several top engineers and researchers. Microsoft said in a statement that it is confident that the “hiring of talent promotes competition.”