Microsoft Rolls Out Single Marketplace for Business AI Apps

Microsoft (MSFT, Financials) is streamlining how companies buy and use its AI tools.

The tech giant said it has merged its separate marketplaces one aimed at developers on Azure and another for AI-powered workplace apps into a single store called Microsoft Marketplace. The new platform launched in the U.S. and will roll out globally in the coming months.

Businesses will now be able to browse apps, AI agents, and developer tools in one place, pay for them through existing Microsoft accounts, and plug them directly into products like Office and Teams.

Unlike Apple's App Store, Microsoft won't take a commission on sales. Instead, it charges a publishing fee and earns money from the cloud services developers rely on to run their apps. Every app will also go through a security review to ensure companies keep control of their data.

Microsoft is trying to lock in business demand for AI by making its ecosystem easier to use. For investors, it shows how Microsoft is making money from AI without having to sell apps to consumers.