EU shifts rules toward cloud and AI

The European Union is moving its digital competition agenda deeper into cloud computing and artificial intelligence, not just app stores, search and social media. (ec.europa.eu 1) (ec.europa.eu 2) That shift is already visible in Brussels. On November 18, 2025, the European Commission opened three Digital Markets Act investigations into cloud services, including whether Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure should be designated as gatekeepers. (ec.europa.eu) The third cloud investigation is broader: the Commission said it is examining whether current Digital Markets Act obligations can address interoperability barriers, restricted data access, tying, bundling and imbalanced contract terms in cloud markets. (ec.europa.eu) Cloud is the rented computing layer behind software, storage and many artificial intelligence tools. If a customer cannot easily move data, workloads or applications to another provider, switching suppliers becomes slower, pricier and riskier. (ec.europa.eu 1) (ec.europa.eu 2) Artificial intelligence raises that pressure because newer systems consume more data and computing power. In a 2025 consultation, the Commission said rising demand from compute-intensive AI services was a core reason for preparing a Cloud and AI Development Act. (ec.europa.eu) That consultation, which ran from April 9 to July 3, 2025, asked for input on both the planned Cloud and AI Development Act and a single European Union-wide cloud policy for public administrations and procurement. (ec.europa.eu) Brussels has also been testing the same ideas through antitrust cases. In September 2025, the Commission accepted binding Microsoft commitments on Teams that included lower-priced suites without Teams, interoperability measures and data portability for customers leaving the service. (ec.europa.eu) The Commission’s public language across these files is consistent: secure, sustainable and interoperable cloud services are a policy goal, and competition tools are being used alongside sector-specific digital rules to get there. (ec.europa.eu 1) (ec.europa.eu 2) The practical effect for companies in Europe is straightforward. Cloud contracts, exit terms, data export tools, audit trails and links between artificial intelligence systems and underlying infrastructure are all becoming regulatory terrain. (ec.europa.eu) (ec.europa.eu) The European Commission said on April 27, 2026 that its first review found the Digital Markets Act remains fit for purpose. The next fight is over how far that framework can reach into the cloud and artificial intelligence stack. (ec.europa.eu)