Italy probes Microsoft 365 AI pricing shift

• Italy’s antitrust authority opened an investigation into Microsoft over Microsoft 365 pricing and subscription changes.
• The regulator said users may have been moved to higher-priced plans after AI tools were added.
• Microsoft is accused of not clearly informing users about Copilot and Designer integration.

Italy’s antitrust authority said it has opened an investigation into Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) over alleged unfair commercial practices linked to price changes in Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

The regulator said Microsoft did not adequately inform consumers that Microsoft 365 had been integrated with artificial intelligence tools such as Copilot and Designer.

The authority said some consumers were automatically moved to more expensive subscription plans unless they actively opted out.

It also said users may have received insufficient information to decide whether to renew their contracts under the updated service terms.

The watchdog said the practice could be considered aggressive because it may have limited consumer choice and reduced transparency.

Microsoft has not yet publicly commented on the investigation at the time of reporting.