Salesforce (CRM) CEO Marc Benioff has taken a sharp jab at Microsoft (MSFT), accusing the tech giant of using unfair strategies. “Microsoft did horrible things to Slack before we bought it,” Benioff said in a recent interview. Also, he suggested MSFT could deploy a similar “playbook” of anti-competitive behavior against its partner, OpenAI.
To understand the context, back when Slack became popular as a workplace messaging app, Microsoft launched a rival app, Teams, and bundled it for free with its Microsoft 365 suite. Later, Slack filed a complaint with the European Union, arguing that the bundling gave MSFT an unfair edge.
In 2024, Microsoft agreed to unbundle Teams, but the damage was already done. Benioff called MSFT’s actions unfair. “They were running their playbook and did a lot of dark stuff,” he added.
Could OpenAI Be Next?
Benioff believes Microsoft is following a similar strategy today with OpenAI. While the two companies are officially partners, Microsoft has invested billions into OpenAI and uses its technology for products like Copilot.
Importantly, Benioff warned that the partnership could quickly turn into a rivalry.
It must be noted that there have already been signs of tension. Recent reports suggest MSFT may be exploring alternative AI models to power its services, potentially reducing its reliance on OpenAI.
Is CRM a Good Stock to Buy Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on CRM stock based on 32 Buys, eight Holds, and three Sells assigned in the past three months. After a 15.97% decline in its share price over the past three months, the average Salesforce stock price target of $361.24 per share implies 32.15% upside potential.
