Amazon to Offer OpenAI Models on AWS After Microsoft Exclusivity Ends
Microsoft and OpenAI announced on Monday that they restructured their partnership, ending Microsoft’s exclusive license to OpenAI’s models and products. As a result, Amazon can now distribute OpenAI’s technology through its cloud platform.
Shortly after the announcement, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy posted on X, calling it a “very interesting announcement.” He added that the company is “excited to make OpenAI’s models available directly to customers on Bedrock in the coming weeks, alongside the upcoming Stateful Runtime Environment.”
A Deal Months in the Making
The revised agreement builds on developments that began in February. At that time, Amazon and OpenAI formed a multi-year strategic partnership that included a $50 billion investment and plans to co-develop a Stateful Runtime Environment on Amazon Bedrock. Consequently, AWS became the exclusive third-party cloud distribution provider for OpenAI Frontier, the enterprise platform for building and managing AI agents.
However, that earlier deal conflicted with Microsoft’s exclusive license to OpenAI’s technology. Therefore, Monday’s restructuring resolved the tension. Under the new terms, Microsoft remains OpenAI’s primary cloud partner and keeps a non-exclusive license through 2032. Meanwhile, OpenAI can now deliver its products across multiple cloud providers.
In exchange, Microsoft will no longer pay revenue share to OpenAI. However, OpenAI will continue making capped payments to Microsoft through 2030.
Enterprise AI Competition Intensifies
The restructuring arrives as OpenAI accelerates enterprise expansion. According to reports cited by CNBC and GeekWire, an internal memo described “staggering” demand for the Amazon offering and suggested the earlier Microsoft arrangement had “held it back.”
At the same time, Amazon reported that AI revenue within AWS has reached an annual run rate of $15 billion. Moreover, OpenAI’s commitment of over $100 billion in cloud spending supports a broader $200 billion capital expenditure plan for 2026. As part of this expansion, OpenAI committed to using about 2 gigawatts of AWS Trainium capacity.
Meanwhile, Microsoft emphasized that it still plays a key role as a major shareholder and partner. It highlighted continued collaboration on datacenter capacity, next-generation silicon, and cybersecurity. Although the announcement came before its earnings report, Bloomberg noted that the company’s stock briefly dipped before recovering.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on X that the company is “now able to make our products and services available across all clouds.”
