Italy antitrust authority opens probe into Microsoft over Microsoft 365 price hike and AI tool disclosure

Italy's antitrust authority opened an investigation into Microsoft on Friday over alleged unfair commercial practices linked to the price hike of its Microsoft 365 subscription service. The Italian Competition Authority said the Windows maker did not adequately inform consumers that its Microsoft 365 service had been integrated with artificial intelligence tools Copilot and Designer. Consumers were automatically moved to a more expensive subscription plan unless they actively opted out, while receiving insufficient information to decide whether to renew their contracts, the watchdog added in its statement. The authority said the tech giant's practice could be considered aggressive because it unduly limited consumers' freedom of choice. A Microsoft spokesperson said the company is committed to complying with Italian consumer law and will cooperate with the Italian Competition Authority in its preliminary investigation. The investigation centers on the Microsoft 365 price increase and the disclosure of the AI tool integrations.