SMRTR AIApr 5, 2026The Next Web

Microsoft just shipped the clearest signal yet that it is building an AI empire without OpenAI

SMRTR summary

Microsoft released three in-house AI models that directly compete with OpenAI, marking its first major step toward independence from the company it invested $13 billion in. After renegotiating their partnership contract in September 2025 to allow independent AI development, Microsoft's new transcription, voice, and image generation models now run entirely on Microsoft infrastructure without OpenAI technology.

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