WorkThe story, in brief
Microsoft was worried OpenAI would run off to Amazon and ‘shit-talk’ Azure
Microsoft was so worried OpenAI would defect to Amazon in 2017 that internal emails show Nadella feared the startup would 'shit-talk' Azure. Court docs just revealed it.
The KeyNews take
Why it matters
Leaked internal communications from the Musk v. Altman trial expose Microsoft's early anxiety about losing OpenAI to a rival cloud provider—a pivotal moment that shaped one of tech's most consequential partnerships.
The key facts
6 to knowCommunications revealed via Musk v. Altman court documents
Timeline: Summer 2017, during OpenAI Dota 2 bot breakthrough
Key figures: Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Kevin Scott
Microsoft concern: OpenAI defecting to Amazon
Fear of reputational damage ('shit-talk' Azure)
Partnership formation occurred during this early anxiety phase
Go to the source
The Verge AItheverge.com
Publisher excerpt: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott. | Image: Getty Images When OpenAI was busy experimenting with AI-powered gaming bots, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman were in the early days of forming an AI partnership. Court documents from the ongoing Musk v. Altman trial…