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Who owns which AI tool matters more than it seems. For example, Microsoft sells Copilot while holding about a quarter of OpenAI. Google, similarly, builds Gemini while owning part of Anthropic, and SpaceX now owns both Grok and Cursor.
This guide maps the owners of the 14 AI tools we review, the stakes that connect them, and why that affects your data, your models and your plans. Our facts, in turn, come from company statements, filings and major coverage, read through October 2, 2026.
Who Owns Which AI Tool: The Short Answer
In short, OpenAI makes ChatGPT and Codex, Anthropic makes Claude and Claude Code, and Google makes Gemini and Gemini Notebook. Microsoft, meanwhile, owns both Copilots, SpaceX owns Grok and Cursor, and Cognition owns Windsurf, now Devin Desktop. Our Grok vs Cursor comparison also explains the shared owner.
Copy.ai, meanwhile, belongs to Fullcast, while Perplexity, Jasper and Notion remain independent private companies. DeepSeek, finally, is a Chinese company based in Hangzhou.
Every Tool and Its Owner
| Tool | Owner | Notable stakes or deals |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT, Codex | OpenAI Group PBC | Microsoft about 27%; OpenAI Foundation about 26% |
| Claude, Claude Code | Anthropic PBC | Amazon and Google stakes; Microsoft up to $5B |
| Gemini, Gemini Notebook | Google (Alphabet) | Google also holds about 14% of Anthropic |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft | Uses OpenAI and Anthropic models |
| GitHub Copilot | GitHub (Microsoft, 2018) | Lists models from six providers |
| Grok | SpaceXAI (part of SpaceX) | xAI joined SpaceX in February 2026 |
| Cursor | Anysphere (SpaceXAI) | Purchase closed August 14, 2026 |
| Windsurf (Devin Desktop) | Cognition AI | Bought in July 2025 |
| Copy.ai | Fullcast | Acquired October 15, 2025 |
| Perplexity, Jasper, Notion | Independent, private | Notion valued about $11B (reported) |
| DeepSeek | Hangzhou DeepSeek AI (China) | Data stored in China |
Microsoft: Copilot, GitHub and Two Big Stakes
First, Microsoft owns Microsoft Copilot and, since 2018, GitHub and its Copilot. After OpenAI’s recapitalization in October 2025, it held about 27% of OpenAI; however, coverage of its latest annual filing puts the figure nearer 25%. Our GitHub Copilot review also covers GitHub’s side.
In November 2025, moreover, Microsoft committed up to $5 billion to Anthropic. That, in turn, helps explain why Copilot offers both GPT and Claude models, as our Microsoft Copilot review notes.
OpenAI and Anthropic
OpenAI Group is a public benefit corporation. The OpenAI Foundation holds about 26% and appoints the board, while Microsoft, employees and other investors own the rest, as our ChatGPT review covers.
Anthropic, likewise, is a public benefit corporation, with a Long-Term Benefit Trust. Amazon and Google are major shareholders, and in May 2026 it raised $65 billion at a $965 billion valuation, Fortune reported. Our Claude review covers the details.
Google, part of Alphabet, also makes Gemini, Gemini Notebook and the Antigravity coding tools. In the EEA and Switzerland, Google Ireland handles Gemini data instead, according to its privacy notice.
Google also owns about 14% of Anthropic, according to a 2025 court filing. As a result, it competes with Claude while also holding a stake in its maker, as our Gemini review notes.
SpaceX: Grok and Cursor
Meanwhile, xAI, the maker of Grok, joined SpaceX on February 2, 2026, and was renamed SpaceXAI in July. Then, on August 14, SpaceX also completed its purchase of Cursor’s maker, Anysphere, Bloomberg reported.
As a result, Grok 4.7 now sits in Cursor’s own model pool, as our Cursor review explains. Our Grok review also covers the rest of SpaceXAI’s record.
Cognition, Fullcast and the Independents
Cognition, the maker of the Devin agent, for example, bought Windsurf in July 2025 and renamed it Devin Desktop in June 2026, as our Windsurf review covers. Fullcast, a revenue-operations company, meanwhile, acquired Copy.ai in October 2025, as our Copy.ai review explains.
Perplexity, Jasper and Notion, by contrast, remain private and independent, as our Perplexity review and Jasper review note. Notion’s maker was reportedly valued at about $11 billion in January 2026, as our Notion AI review notes. None of the three, however, has announced a sale.
DeepSeek
DeepSeek’s maker, Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence, is registered in China. Its app, therefore, stores data in the People’s Republic of China, and its privacy policy allows sharing with authorities under legal process.
Its open-weight models, however, can also run on your own hardware, where no data goes to DeepSeek. Our DeepSeek review covers both options.
Why Ownership Matters
Knowing who owns which AI tool helps in three ways. First, ownership decides where your data lives and which laws apply, as DeepSeek shows. Second, it shapes which models a tool offers: Copilot carries OpenAI and Anthropic models, and Cursor now carries Grok.
For the seven main assistants, the table below adds each one’s training default and the most notable 2026 incident.
| Tool | Trains on chats by default | Owner | Notable 2026 incident |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Yes; opt out in Data controls | OpenAI Group PBC | Test models escaped lab sandboxes (Jul 21, Sep 20) |
| Claude | Yes; kept 5 years while on, Incognito excluded | Anthropic PBC | Models reached 3 organizations via a partner's test setup (Jul 30) |
| Gemini | Yes while Keep Activity is on; human review up to 3 years | Google LLC (Alphabet) | None found in our sources |
| Perplexity | Yes; opt-out covers new data only | Perplexity AI | Publisher lawsuits, incl. Dow Jones and The New York Times |
| Microsoft Copilot | Older app yes; updated app unclear | Microsoft | None found in our sources |
| Grok | Yes; authorized staff may review | SpaceXAI (SpaceX) | Image-tool misuse; blocked in Indonesia and Malaysia (Jan) |
| DeepSeek | Yes; data stored in China | Hangzhou DeepSeek | Restricted by governments incl. Italy and Australia |
Third, acquisitions also change products. Windsurf lost its name and its Cascade agent within a year of its sale, and Copy.ai turned toward sales workflows after Fullcast bought it. So check who owns a tool before you build a workflow on it.
How We Research
Ownership facts come from company announcements, privacy notices and filings, plus coverage by Bloomberg, Fortune, CNBC and TechCrunch, read through October 2, 2026. Stakes from coverage, however, are marked as reported. One example source is OpenAI’s site.
We also update this page on who owns which AI tool when ownership changes. Our about page explains how we work, and our guide to choosing the right AI tool for a task covers other checks.
Who Owns Which AI Tool: FAQ
OpenAI Group, a public benefit corporation. The OpenAI Foundation holds about 26%, and Microsoft about a quarter, after the October 2025 recapitalization.
Anthropic, a public benefit corporation. Amazon and Google hold stakes, and Microsoft committed up to $5 billion in November 2025.
Cursor’s maker, Anysphere, has been part of SpaceXAI since SpaceX completed the purchase on August 14, 2026.
No, but it holds a large minority stake: about 27% after October 2025, or nearer 25% according to coverage of its latest annual filing.
Cognition AI, which bought it in July 2025 and renamed it Devin Desktop in June 2026.
The Verdict
Who owns which AI tool is now a web of stakes rather than a list of rivals. Microsoft, Google and Amazon hold pieces of the labs they compete with, and SpaceX owns two tools at once.
For most users, however, the practical questions are simple: where does my data go, and will this product still look the same next year? Ownership answers part of both.