Italy Probes Microsoft Over M365 Price Changes After 2025 AI Upgrade

3 articles · Updated · Computerworld · Jun 29

Italy’s AGCM opened an investigation into Microsoft’s Italian and Irish units over whether M365 customers were clearly told about Copilot and Designer being added, higher subscription prices, and automatic moves to costlier plans.
January 2025 appears to be the trigger: Microsoft then rolled out the AI features to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family plans and said existing subscribers would pay the higher price at their next renewal.
Australia and New Zealand had already challenged similar consumer messaging, prompting Microsoft to apologize and revise some communications — a precedent analysts say Italian regulators may weigh even under different legal rules.
July 1 commercial-plan changes could now face closer scrutiny from enterprise buyers, with analysts urging CIOs and procurement teams to demand itemized AI charges, opt-outs, and price protections at renewal.
The case highlights a broader regulatory test for software vendors bundling AI into existing products: whether customers get clear notice, real choice, and transparent pricing when new features raise costs.

Sources

As regulators probe Microsoft's AI price hikes, is the era of forced software bundles now coming to an end?

How can businesses leverage this pressure to unbundle unwanted AI and reclaim control over their software spending?