Cybersecurity Risks and Public Safety
Klein’s lawsuit raises alarm about cybersecurity implications, arguing that Microsoft’s strategy will leave millions of users vulnerable to cyberattacks. The complaint notes that cybersecurity incidents cost the U.S. economy between $57 billion and $109 billion annually, and warns that “the premature discontinuation of Windows 10 support will likely exacerbate these financial losses.”
The lawsuit emphasizes that security risks extend beyond Windows users themselves: “Even individuals who do not use Windows or own a computer are at risk of having their personal data compromised, as businesses that store customer information on Windows 10 systems will be increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks.”
AI Market Competition Claims
A significant portion of the complaint focuses on alleged anticompetitive behavior in the artificial intelligence sector. Klein argues that Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI, combined with forced hardware upgrades, creates an unfair advantage in the AI market.
The lawsuit states: “Microsoft’s Azure was the exclusive cloud provider for OpenAI workloads. Hence, Microsoft controlled the compute layer powering its models. That meant any developer, enterprise, or consumer using OpenAI’s API was ultimately routed through Azure infrastructure.”
According to the complaint, this strategy has proven successful, with “OpenAI and Microsoft together controlled about 69% of the global generative AI market” as of the end of 2023, while the next largest competitor held only 8%.
