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(Reuters) -OpenAI said on Thursday the arguments it presented to EU authorities last month mirrored its public statements about competition in the AI space, particularly in the context of antitrust investigations into Alphabet's Google. The ChatGPT-maker recently took its concerns to EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, telling her office during a September 24 meeting about the difficulties it faces in competing with entrenched giants. It also urged the regulators to prevent large platforms from locking in users, Bloomberg News reported earlier on Thursday, citing meeting notes. OpenAI said the European Commission was already examining how large, vertically integrated platforms were leveraging existing market positions into AI, including by reviewing specific intercompany agreements. The European Commission and Google did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The company, which now has more than 800 million weekly ChatGPT users, became the world's most valuable startup – with a $500 billion valuation – after completing a secondary share sale last week. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)

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(Reuters) -OpenAI said on Thursday the arguments it presented to EU authorities last month mirrored its public statements about competition in the AI space, particularly in the context of antitrust investigations into Alphabet's Google. The ChatGPT-maker recently took its concerns to EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, telling her office during a September 24 meeting about the difficulties it faces in competing with entrenched giants. It also urged the regulators to prevent large platforms from locking in users, Bloomberg News reported earlier on Thursday, citing meeting notes. OpenAI said the European Commission was already examining how large, vertically integrated platforms were leveraging existing market positions into AI, including by reviewing specific intercompany agreements. The European Commission and Google did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The company, which now has more than 800 million weekly ChatGPT users, became the world's most valuable startup – with a $500 billion valuation – after completing a secondary share sale last week. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -OpenAI said on Thursday the arguments it presented to EU authorities last month mirrored its public statements about competition in the AI space, particularly in the context of antitrust investigations into Alphabet's Google. The ChatGPT-maker recently took its concerns to EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera, telling her office during a September 24 meeting about the difficulties it faces in competing with entrenched giants. It also urged the regulators to prevent large platforms from locking in users, Bloomberg News reported earlier on Thursday, citing meeting notes. OpenAI said the European Commission was already examining how large, vertically integrated platforms were leveraging existing market positions into AI, including by reviewing specific intercompany agreements. The European Commission and Google did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The company, which now has more than 800 million weekly ChatGPT users, became the world's most valuable startup – with a $500 billion valuation – after completing a secondary share sale last week. (Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)

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(Reuters) -An outage affecting thousands of users of Microsoft's suite of productivity software on Thursday has eased, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. The number of users reporting issues with Microsoft 365 had fallen to over 1,500 as of 3.07 p.m. ET, compared with 17,000 earlier, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources. Downdetector's numbers are based on user-submitted reports. The actual number of affected users may vary. Microsoft 365 said it had rerouted the impacted traffic to healthy infrastructure and is seeing improvements to service health, on its status page on X. Initial reports showed issues accessing Microsoft Teams and Exchange Online. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)

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(Reuters) -Microsoft's suite of productivity software was down for thousands of users on Thursday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. There were nearly 17,000 incidents of people reporting issues with Microsoft 365 as of 2:39 p.m. ET, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform. The actual number of affected users may vary. Microsoft 365 said it is investigating reports of issues accessing services on its status page on X. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -Microsoft's suite of productivity software was down for thousands of users on Thursday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. There were nearly 17,000 incidents of people reporting issues with Microsoft 365 as of 2:39 p.m. ET, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform. The actual number of affected users may vary. Microsoft 365 said it is investigating reports of issues accessing services on its status page on X. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

(Reuters) -Microsoft's suite of productivity softwares was down for thousands of users on Thursday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. There were nearly 14,000 incidents of people reporting issues with Microsoft 365, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, including user-submitted errors on its platform. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)

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By Helen Reid LONDON (Reuters) -Online fast-fashion retailer Shein is strengthening its controls after a string of fines over data privacy breaches, fake discounts and greenwashing, according to a letter to investors, internal memos and two sources with direct knowledge of the plan. Shein, which ships cheap clothes and accessories direct from factories in China to more than 150 countries, has grown to become the world's biggest fast fashion retailer by sales. But its rapid expansion has been accompanied by regulatory breaches in multiple markets. In a letter to investors reviewed by Reuters, executive chairman Donald Tang said the company has created a "Business Integrity Group" that connects compliance, governance and external affairs teams, and has also expanded its internal audit capabilities to strengthen "discipline". In the past three months Shein has faced mounting penalties: a 150 million euro ($174.53 million) fine from France over website cookies collecting consumer data without consent, a 40 million euro penalty from France's antitrust agency for misleading discounts, and a 1 million euro fine from Italy over greenwashing. Shein is contesting the 150 million euro fine. Further fines could follow if a European consumer protection probe finds that products sold on its website fail to meet EU safety standards. Founded in China and headquartered in Singapore, Shein has filed for a stock market listing in Hong Kong, after failed attempts to list in New York and London. According to the letter, Shein has piloted enhanced internal controls in the United States, Canada, Brazil and Mexico. The company declined to comment on the letter's contents. It is currently hiring for two governance, risk and compliance policy analysts and one internal audit manager in Los Angeles, according to its career website and LinkedIn. It was not clear if the jobs being advertised are additional roles. The internal overhaul focuses on areas where Shein faces legal risk, like breaches of copyright and product safety laws, a separate source with direct knowledge of the matter said. As Shein's global profile has grown, so too have its risks, prompting senior management to allocate more resources to address persistent compliance problems, the source said. MOUNTING FINES AND SLOWING GROWTH Tang acknowledged "heightened challenges" in the second quarter, citing U.S. tariffs and "intensifying political and regulatory headwinds" in Europe. The letter, which has not been previously reported, was sent on August 25, according to a second source. "In Q2 we grew firmly in line with both our global expansion plan and our financial projections," Tang wrote. The end of duty-free treatment for low-value online orders has hit Shein's U.S. sales – the company's largest market – forcing it to raise prices to offset higher costs.  Coresight Research estimates Shein's U.S. revenue will grow 20.1% in 2025, to $17.2 billion, down from estimated growth of 50% in 2024. Shein has shifted more of its marketing spending to Europe (including the UK), which is expected to surpass the U.S. in revenue for the first time this year, growing 30.7% to $17.9 billion.  GROWING CRITICISM OF SHEIN'S BUSINESS PRACTICES Europe, especially France, has become the epicentre of scrutiny of Shein's business practices. An investigation by a French agency of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) prompted by a complaint from two French lawmakers found last week that Shein does not comply with OECD guidelines on responsible business conduct, due diligence, working rights, environmental standards, and transparency. "Information about the activity of the group, its finances and its governance remains extremely rare, hindering a clear analysis of its business, its revenue and its structure in the European Union and globally," the final report, published on September 29, stated.      A Shein spokesperson said the investigation "at times did not reflect the neutral mediation intended by the OECD framework" and rejected claims that Shein is in breach of various EU legislation, "specifically those that are not yet applicable".   ($1 = 0.8595 euros) (Reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

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By Alexander Hübner and Amy-Jo Crowley MUNICH (Reuters) -Germany's PSI Software is close to being taken over, with several financial investors circling the maker of software for energy networks, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. One of the sources said PSI, which is recovering from a cyberattack last year, is seeking funding for next-generation product development. Among the competing suitors are technology investors Thoma Bravo, HgCapital and Warburg Pincus, and a decision on a sale could be made within the next few days, the sources said. PSI, whose software helps run power and gas transmission grids as well as factories, last year posted a loss before interest and tax of 15.2 million euros ($17.62 million), as it was hobbled for weeks by the cyberattack. Valued at close to 400 million euros on the stock exchange, the group posted 260.8 million euros in sales in 2024. German utility E.ON, which is PSI's second-largest investor, with almost 18% of the shares, and also a major customer, intends to hold on to its stake. German businessman and newsletter publisher Norman Rentrop is PSI's largest shareholder with a 23% stake. PSI, Norman Rentrop's investment holding as well as investment firm Thoma Bravo did not immediately respond to a request for comment. E.ON, HgCapital and Warburg Pincus declined to comment. ($1 = 0.8625 euros) (Additional reporting by Tom KaeckenhoffWriting by Ludwig BurgerEditing by Miranda Murray)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

By Alexander Hübner and Amy-Jo Crowley MUNICH (Reuters) -Germany's PSI Software is close to being taken over, with several financial investors circling the maker of software for energy networks, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. One of the sources said PSI, which is recovering from a cyberattack last year, is seeking funding for next-generation product development. Among the competing suitors are technology investors Thoma Bravo, HgCapital and Warburg Pincus, and a decision on a sale could be made within the next few days, the sources said. PSI shares surged 13.9% on the news at 1514 GMT. PSI, whose software helps run power and gas transmission grids as well as factories, last year posted a loss before interest and tax of 15.2 million euros ($17.62 million), as it was hobbled for weeks by the cyberattack. Valued at close to 400 million euros on the stock exchange, the group posted 260.8 million euros in sales in 2024. For this year, PSI's management has forecast a 10% increase in revenues and a return to profits before interest and tax. The group, whose peers include Norway's Volue, is cutting costs, but that push is not expected to have a major impact before 2026. German utility E.ON, which is a major customer as well as PSI's second-largest investor with almost 18% of its shares, intends to hold onto its stake. German businessman and newsletter publisher Norman Rentrop is PSI's largest shareholder with a 23% stake. PSI and Norman Rentrop's investment holding did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thoma Bravo, E.ON, HgCapital and Warburg Pincus declined to comment. ($1 = 0.8625 euros) (Additional reporting by Tom KaeckenhoffWriting by Ludwig BurgerEditing by Miranda Murray and Joe Bavier)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)