Microsoft’s global sprawl comes under fire after historic outage

A global computer outage caused by a defective update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike has exposed the risks of Microsoft's dominance in the tech industry. The outage impacted various sectors including airlines, hospitals, and government agencies, highlighting the concentration of power in one company. Microsoft's software is deeply embedded in government IT systems, which has raised concerns among lawmakers and regulators about the potential risks. The incident has sparked calls for the federal government to diversify its vendors and reduce reliance on Microsoft. The outage also impacted the Federal Trade Commission, which has been investigating Microsoft's power in the tech sector. FTC Chair Lina Khan has warned about the dangers of concentration in the tech industry, and the agency is currently looking into Microsoft's relationship with OpenAI. Microsoft has been working to address the issue and is briefing policymakers in Washington about the incident. The company's president, Brad Smith, has sought to portray Microsoft as more diplomatic and willing to engage with policymakers about their concerns. The outage has also led to renewed scrutiny of Microsoft's dominance on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers demanding answers and calling for greater oversight.