Microsoft to win antitrust approval for $16-billion Nuance deal

The deal follows heightened regulatory scrutiny of "killer acquisitions"

US software giant Microsoft is set to secure unconditional EU antitrust approval for its $16-billion bid for artificial intelligence and speech technology firm Nuance Communications , three people familiar with the matter said.

 

The deal, the latest in the tech industry and Microsoft’s second biggest after its $26.2-billion buy of LinkedIn in 2016, follows heightened regulatory scrutiny of “killer acquisitions” whereby tech giants shut down nascent start-ups and potential rivals after buying them.