First Microsoft, now Apple: Sam Altman keeps breaking up with Big Tech.

The article is a market-relevant tech and legal commentary piece centered on Microsoft, Apple, and OpenAI. It argues that Sam Altman’s OpenAI has repeatedly built strategic alliances with Big Tech only to see them deteriorate into conflict: first with Microsoft, which moved from a major investment and close partnership to a non-exclusive relationship after reported contract tensions, and now with Apple, which is suing OpenAI over alleged employee poaching and trade secret theft. The piece frames the Apple dispute as part of a broader shift in OpenAI’s position—from dominant consumer AI leader to a company now chasing rivals and facing leadership questions. For markets, the key takeaway is heightened uncertainty around OpenAI’s partnerships, product roadmap, and competitive strategy, with potential implications for Microsoft and Apple’s AI ecosystem positioning. The article is largely analytical and does not report direct financial metrics, but it underscores escalating legal and strategic risk in the AI sector.