Microsoft (MSFT) has reportedly stepped back from its non-voting board seat on the board of ChatGPT maker OpenAI less than a year after joining it, while Apple (AAPL) has reportedly declined the opportunity to take a similar role as it integrates ChatGPT into new iPhones and operating systems.
The decisions, reported by The Financial Times and Bloomberg early Wednesday, come as regulators in the U.S. and abroad have stepped up efforts to rein in the influence of big tech companies in recent months.
Microsoft first took the board seat following a tumultuous period for the generative AI startup in November 2023, when the board fired and then rehired Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sam Altman within days.
In a letter reportedly sent to OpenAI late Tuesday, Microsoft said it had seen “significant progress” over the last eight months, putting it in a position where its confidence in OpenAI’s future makes it no …