Microsoft generated $10bn in revenue from commercial arrangements with OpenAI, including revenue-sharing payments, in the quarter ended September 30, according to a regulatory filing.
The amount accounted for nearly 11 per cent of Microsoft’s total quarterly revenue of $92.3bn, underscoring the companies’ significant financial ties despite growing competition for the same customers.
Microsoft’s financial year begins in July, making the quarter ended September 30, 2026, the first quarter of its 2027 fiscal year.
For the full 2026 fiscal year, Microsoft generated $24.1bn in revenue from OpenAI-related arrangements. Based on its latest quarterly performance, the company could earn about $40bn annually from these dealings.
Microsoft also reported $7.2bn in outstanding receivables from OpenAI as of September 30, up from $6bn at the end of June.
The receivables represent payments OpenAI owes Microsoft for previous transactions and do not constitute additional revenue.
OpenAI reportedly shares 20 per cent of its revenue with Microsoft under an earlier agreement tied to the software giant’s investment of more than $13bn in the artificial intelligence startup.
However, neither company has publicly confirmed the reported revenue-sharing rate. Under an agreement reached in April 2026, OpenAI is expected to continue sharing revenue with Microsoft until 2030, subject to a cap, while retaining the freedom to work with competing cloud providers.
The companies began easing their once-exclusive partnership in October 2025, when Microsoft relaxed its control over OpenAI, allowing the startup greater freedom to partner with other cloud service providers. In return, OpenAI committed to purchasing an additional $250bn in Azure services under an agreement reached that month.
