The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating investments made by Microsoft, Google, and Amazon into generative AI startups OpenAI and Anthropic. The probe aims to ensure regulatory oversight keeps up with developments in artificial intelligence and prevents dominant companies from distorting innovation and undermining fair competition. Generative AI, which enables the rapid production of human-level content, relies on significant computing power, an area where big tech companies excel.
A top US antitrust regulator said on Thursday (Jan 25) it was probing investments made by Microsoft , Google and Amazon into generative AI startups OpenAI and Anthropic . The move is part of efforts by authorities to make sure regulatory oversight can keep up with developments in artificial intelligence and stop major players shutting out competitors in a field promising upheaval in multiple sectors.
“Our study will shed light on whether investments and partnerships pursued by dominant companies risk distorting innovation and undermining fair competition,” said Lina Khan, head of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in a statement. One major concern is that generative AI, which allows for human-level content to be produced by software in just seconds, requires a massive amount of computing power, something that big tech companies are almost uniquely capable of deliverin
US Antitrust Regulator Microsoft Google Amazon Investments AI Startups Openai Anthropic Regulatory Oversight Artificial Intelligence Fair Competition Generative AI Computing Power Technology