The US plans to open antitrust investigations against Nvidia, Microsoft and OpenAI over their increasing dominance and partnerships in the artificial intelligence sector.
The regulatory attempt to rein in the three high-flying technology companies is the latest aggressive measure by US President Joe Biden's administration against Big Tech's business practices.
The investigations will be split between two regulators, the New York Times reported on Thursday. The Justice Department will investigate Nvidia, while the Federal Trade Commission will probe Microsoft and OpenAI.
FTC chairwoman Lina Khan in January said the agency launched a “market inquiry” into companies such as Microsoft and OpenAI, as well as Amazon, Alphabet and Anthropic.
“At the FTC, the rapid development and deployment of AI is informing our efforts across the agency, as we work to promote fair competition and protect Americans from unfair or deceptive tactics,” she said at the FTC Tech Summit.
“There is no AI exemption from the laws on the books, and we’re looking closely at the ways companies may be using their power to thwart fair competition or trick the public.”
The agency is scrutinising Microsoft's $650 million deal with Inflection AI, the Wall Street Journal reported.
As part of the deal, Inflection's AI model would be hosted on Microsoft's cloud platform and much of its team would join Microsoft's Copilot programme.
In 2019, Microsoft first announced an investment in OpenAI, maker of the popular AI tool ChatGPT. The company has since increased investments in OpenAI and partnered with the company on several levels, including using ChatGPT in its offerings such as GitHub Copilot, Designer, Teams and BingChat.
Microsoft has also not been shy about its partnership with chipmaker Nvidia, which has had an unprecedented, meteoric rise as its AI chip technology continues to be in strong demand.
The regulatory and legal remedies sought by the US ultimately revolve around concerns that the partnerships between the three companies could lead to less choice, and ultimately drive up prices due to a lack of competition.
That notion, however, is not without scrutiny.
Alden Abbott, who served as the FTC's general counsel from 2018 to 2021, is cautious and somewhat critical of the recent regulatory attempts.
“I do not know the details of the antitrust investigations, but the antitrust enforcers should not take actions that will slow innovation in this space. Keep in mind that there is no big AI monopolist, and we are not talking about mergers among the big AI players,” he said.
“As a general matter, partnerships between AI innovators and large high-tech companies such as Microsoft and software/chips innovator Nvidia should be applauded,” he added.
Mr Abbott, who now works for the Mercatus Centre at George Mason University in Virginia, US, also reflected on the potential upside of technology company partnerships, saying that competition might actually be enhanced, rather than stifled.
“By bringing complementary technologies on board, the two large established companies [Microsoft and Nvidia] may be able to enhance their competition with the other big leading competitors in [the] AI space, including Google, Meta and IBM,” he added.
Microsoft, unlike Nvidia and OpenAI, is not new to US federal regulatory scrutiny.
In 1998, the technology giant, based in Redmond, Washington, found itself accused by the Justice Department of unfairly stifling competition from rival companies, in particular, Netscape, which at the time had a popular web-browser on both Windows and Macintosh computer platforms.
Microsoft was later found guilty of monopolistic behaviour, but a successful appeal made if difficult for the Justice Department to break up the company.
Ultimately, Microsoft reached a settlement with the US.
Most recently, in an effort to blunt potential regulatory scrutiny and an EU antitrust fine, Microsoft announced that it would begin selling its chat and video app, Teams, separately from its Office software offering.
Rival companies alleged that Microsoft's bundling of Teams with Office gave the company an unfair competitive advantage, and made it difficult for their video-conference products to make inroads on the Windows platform.
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
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Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Biography
Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day
Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri, small round bread of wheat flour
Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour
Best vacation: Returning home to China
Music interests: Enjoys playing the zheng, a string musical instrument
Enjoys reading: Chinese novels, romantic comedies, reading up on business trends, government policy changes
Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems
Company%C2%A0profile
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
