Antitrust regulators in the United States are currently investigating the investments made by tech giants Microsoft, Google, and Amazon in generative AI startups OpenAI and Anthropic. The primary goal of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is to ensure that regulatory oversight keeps pace with advancements in artificial intelligence and to prevent major players from impeding competition in the rapidly evolving AI sector.
The investigation is specifically focused on determining whether partnerships and investments by dominant companies have the potential to distort innovation and compromise fair competition within the generative AI industry. Microsoft, having invested $13 billion in OpenAI, now holds a non-voting seat on OpenAI’s board following a boardroom dispute. Anthropic, supported by Google and Amazon, has emerged as a key player in the generative AI field.
Of particular interest to the FTC is Amazon’s intention to enhance its voice assistant, Alexa, with generative AI. Collaborations between Amazon and Anthropic, including the use of Amazon’s chips and cloud infrastructure, are also under scrutiny.
This investigation is not isolated to the US, as regulators in the United Kingdom and the European Union are also examining these AI partnerships for potential antitrust concerns. The collective aim of these investigations is to gain insights into market trends and business practices, potentially guiding regulatory bodies toward legal action.
In response to the investigations, Microsoft and Google have expressed their willingness to cooperate, while Amazon and Anthropic have refrained from commenting. The FTC’s efforts align with global apprehensions surrounding potential antitrust issues in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.
