OpenAI has raised competition concerns with European Union regulators, warning that entrenched tech giants such as Google are using their market power to dominate the fast-growing artificial intelligence sector.
The company confirmed Thursday that its arguments to EU officials last month “mirrored its public positions” on the need to ensure fair competition in AI. During a September 24 meeting with EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, OpenAI said it faced major hurdles competing against vertically integrated platforms that control both infrastructure and distribution, according to meeting notes cited by Bloomberg News.
The firm urged regulators to prevent large companies from “locking in users” through their ecosystems — a reference to concerns that firms like Alphabet and Microsoft could tie AI products to existing search, cloud, and software services.
The European Commission has already been investigating how major technology platforms are extending dominance into AI through intercompany agreements and exclusive data access. Neither the Commission nor Google responded to requests for comment.
OpenAI’s outreach to EU authorities comes as it cements its own global influence. Following a secondary share sale last week, the ChatGPT-maker is now valued at $500 billion, making it the world’s most valuable startup with over 800 million weekly users.
Analysts say the move signals that OpenAI wants to shape the regulatory debate in Europe — not only to challenge rivals like Google and Anthropic, but also to secure its place in a market increasingly defined by antitrust scrutiny and AI sovereignty policies.