AI money grab in the sights of Aussie regulator

If the ACCC pulls off a win, Microsoft will likely take a hit but the bigger impact may be a reset for the global software industry. (Image: Getty)

Peter Griffin

Wed, 29 Oct 2025

Australia’s competition watchdog’s lawsuit against Microsoft for its handling of AI pricing is a warning shot across the bows of software companies desperate to make their artificial intelligence investments pay off. If the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s court action succeeds, expect ripples to reach our shores, where Microsoft generated $1.32 billion in revenue in the year to June 30, 2024, and employed similar tactics when it increased its Microsoft 365 pricing here. The heart of the ACC...

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