The company’s cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and security products are subject to a request for information from officials. According to two people with knowledge of the investigation, the Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into whether Microsoft has broken antitrust laws in various areas of its broad-based business. This is the most recent development in the government’s effort to control the most prominent tech firms. According to the people, the organization recently contacted the company with a lengthy and in-depth formal request for information regarding its security, artificial intelligence, and cloud products. The F. T. C.’s curiosity is heightened by the company’s growing influence in the synthetic intelligence market, which is in distinct demonstrated by how Microsoft combines its cloud computing products with business and safety products, they continued. The extreme move by the F. T. C.comes as its head, Lina Khan, is likely heading out the door with less than two weeks left in the Biden administration. Ms. Khan, 35, has pushed the company to police large firms and has tried to get away of fast-moving changes in the engineering industry. As part of the shift to President-elect Donald J. Trump’s management, Ms. Khan’s position may become a focal point for tech regulation after that. The investigation into Microsoft continues the Biden administration’s attention of the biggest software companies over the way people consume information, talk and buy online. Now, the F. T. C. has sued Amazon and Meta, accusing them of anticompetitive behaviour and suffocating competitors. Additionally, Apple and Google have been sued by the Justice Department for making it difficult for consumers to keep its strongly knit ecosystem of devices and software. Microsoft, one of the most successful businesses in the world, had largely escaped new antitrust scrutiny, including its disparate business that included its Windows operating system, LinkedIn social media, and Xbox video games. The post content is retrievable with difficulty. In your browser’s settings, kindly help Browser. Thank you for your patience while accessibility is verified. If you are in Audience mode please leave and log into your Times accounts, or listen for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while exposure is verified. Now a subscription? Register in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.