News/Antitrust
Mac strikes back as Apple files motion to dismiss xAI’s antitrust lawsuit over OpenAI partnership
Apple has filed a motion to dismiss xAI's antitrust lawsuit that alleges the tech giant stifled AI competition through its OpenAI partnership and App Store practices. The legal battle stems from Elon Musk's August accusations that Apple's ChatGPT integration created unfair advantages in app rankings, preventing rival AI companies from reaching the top spot. Apple's defense strategy: The company argues that xAI's lawsuit would require partnerships with "every other generative AI chatbot – regardless of quality, privacy or safety considerations, technical feasibility, stage of development, or commercial terms." Apple's lawyers describe the antitrust claims as "speculation on top of speculation"...
read Sep 18, 2025Trump DOJ targets AI companies for anticompetitive, control-of-pipeline practices
The Trump administration is actively monitoring the artificial intelligence sector for anticompetitive behavior as part of its strategy to maintain U.S. AI dominance, according to Department of Justice officials. This enforcement approach signals that federal antitrust regulators view competition protection as essential for fostering innovation in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. What you should know: The DOJ is specifically targeting exclusionary practices that could limit access to critical AI infrastructure and resources. Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater emphasized that "the competitive dynamics of each layer of the AI stack and how they interrelate, with a particular eye towards exclusionary behavior...
read Sep 15, 2025Publish or perish: Rolling Stone owner sues Google over AI summaries feature
Penske Media Corporation, publisher of Rolling Stone, Variety, Billboard, and The Hollywood Reporter, has filed a federal lawsuit against Google over its AI Summaries feature. The suit alleges that Google is abusing its search monopoly to republish content without permission in AI-generated answers, violating U.S. antitrust laws and threatening the traditional web publishing model. What you should know: PMC claims Google's AI Summaries are significantly damaging publisher revenue and web traffic through unfair competition. The lawsuit accuses Google of "coercing online publishers like PMC to supply content that Google republishes without permission in AI-generated answers." PMC reports that 20% of...
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Google admits in court filing that “open web is in rapid decline”
Google admitted in a recent court filing that "the open web is in rapid decline," directly contradicting its previous public statements defending the health of the internet. This acknowledgment comes as the tech giant faces antitrust scrutiny over its dominance in online advertising, revealing a stark disconnect between Google's courtroom arguments and its public messaging about web vitality. What you should know: Google's admission emerged during ongoing litigation about its control over the digital advertising market. The company argued that proposed court remedies would "only accelerate that decline, harming publishers who currently rely on open-web display advertising revenue." Google contends...
read Sep 3, 2025Google avoids Chrome breakup but must share search index data
US District Judge Amit Mehta has ruled that Google can keep Chrome and continue paying browser developers for default search placement, but must share search index data with competitors at marginal cost. The decision, stemming from Google's antitrust case, represents a significantly lighter penalty than the Department of Justice had sought, with the judge citing AI search engines as a growing competitive threat that could naturally erode Google's market dominance. The big picture: Mehta's 230-page ruling reflects his belief that generative AI companies are already better positioned to compete with Google than traditional search engines have been in decades. "The...
read Aug 29, 2025Operation Chrome: AI companies battle for browser as DOJ forces Google’s $34.5B divestiture
The Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google has created an unexpected opportunity in the tech world: the potential forced sale of Chrome, the world's most popular web browser. With over 60% of the global browser market, Chrome represents far more than just a way to surf the internet—it's a strategic gateway that controls how billions of people access information online. Now AI companies are circling, recognizing that owning a browser could provide unprecedented access to user data and behavior patterns that are crucial for training advanced AI systems. The stakes are enormous, and the implications stretch far beyond typical...
read Aug 25, 2025Musk sues Apple and OpenAI over exclusive ChatGPT iPhone deal
Elon Musk's companies X and xAI have filed a new lawsuit against Apple and OpenAI, accusing them of anticompetitive behavior in the artificial intelligence industry. The lawsuit escalates Musk's ongoing legal feud with OpenAI and targets the exclusive partnership between Apple and OpenAI that integrates ChatGPT into iPhones, which Musk claims has created unfair market advantages and damaged his ability to compete. What you should know: The lawsuit seeks billions in damages and a permanent injunction to stop what Musk's companies describe as an anticompetitive scheme. Filed in U.S. District Court in Texas on Monday, the case claims Apple and...
read Aug 19, 2025Meticulous poaching by Big Tech raids AI startups, leaving zombie companies behind
Big tech companies are systematically dismantling AI startups through talent acquisition deals that leave behind "zombie companies" stripped of their founders and key researchers. These transactions allow tech giants like Meta, Google, Microsoft and Amazon to acquire top AI talent and technology while skirting traditional merger and acquisition regulations, creating a new playbook that threatens Silicon Valley's startup ecosystem. The big picture: Major tech companies are using licensing deals and talent acquisitions as regulatory workarounds to bulk up their AI capabilities without triggering antitrust scrutiny. Companies maintain minority stakes or structure deals as licensing agreements rather than outright acquisitions to...
read Aug 13, 2025Perplexity AI makes $34.5B bid for Chrome amid Google antitrust breakup
Perplexity AI, an artificial intelligence search company, has submitted a $34.5 billion bid to acquire Google's Chrome browser, marking the first public attempt by an outside party to break up a key piece of the tech giant. The dramatic move comes as Google awaits a federal judge's decision on potential antitrust remedies, with the Department of Justice explicitly calling for Chrome's divestiture to level the playing field for search competitors. What you should know: Google faces its most significant antitrust challenge since the Microsoft case over two decades ago, with Chrome at the center of the dispute. A federal ruling...
read Aug 13, 2025Musk threatens Apple with lawsuit over ChatGPT favoritism claims
Elon Musk accused Apple of showing anti-competitive bias in its App Store by allegedly favoring OpenAI's ChatGPT over rival AI services, threatening legal action against the tech giant. The dispute quickly escalated into a public feud between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, with both executives trading accusations about manipulating their respective platforms for personal gain. Apple's response: The company firmly denied Musk's allegations, stating it maintains an unbiased approach to app promotion. "We feature thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria," an Apple spokesperson told the BBC. Apple emphasized that...
read Aug 12, 2025New home for Chrome? Perplexity AI bids $34.5B for top browser as Google faces divestiture pressure
Perplexity AI has made an unsolicited $34.5 billion bid to acquire Google's Chrome browser, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal and CNBC. The surprise offer comes as Google faces a pending antitrust ruling that could force the tech giant to divest Chrome, with the Justice Department seeking to break up Google's browser monopoly. Why this matters: The bid represents a bold move by Perplexity to acquire one of the world's most dominant web browsers, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape in search and browsing technology. The numbers: Perplexity's offer significantly exceeds its own $18 billion valuation, with the AI...
read Aug 12, 2025Musk threatens Apple lawsuit over ChatGPT favoritism in App Store
Elon Musk has threatened to sue Apple and OpenAI, alleging that the iPhone maker unfairly favors ChatGPT over competing AI apps in the App Store rankings. Musk claims this constitutes "an unequivocal antitrust violation," escalating his ongoing feud with OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman while potentially opening a new legal front in the competitive AI landscape. What you should know: Musk's legal threat centers on claims that Apple's App Store policies create unfair advantages for OpenAI's ChatGPT application.• He alleges that Apple has made it "impossible for any AI app other than OpenAI's ChatGPT to reach the top of the App...
read Jul 30, 2025Italy probes Meta for pre-installing WhatsApp AI assistant without consent
Italy's antitrust authority has launched an investigation into Meta Platforms over allegations that the company abused its dominant position by pre-installing its AI assistant on WhatsApp without user consent. The probe centers on whether Meta violated European Union competition rules by integrating Meta AI into WhatsApp's interface, potentially steering users unfairly toward its services and harming competitors. What you should know: The investigation focuses on Meta's decision to embed its AI chatbot directly into WhatsApp's core functionality since March 2024. Meta AI has been integrated into WhatsApp's search bar, providing chatbot-style responses and virtual assistant functions to users. Italian regulators...
read Jul 25, 2025Microsoft and OpenAI locked in $40B partnership negotiations
Microsoft and OpenAI are locked in high-stakes negotiations over their partnership terms, with OpenAI seeking greater independence from Microsoft's control over its products and technology. The outcome could determine the fate of Microsoft's $14 billion investment and OpenAI's ability to secure an additional $40 billion in funding before year-end, making these talks "the most important thing that's happening right now in AI," according to analysts. What's at stake: The current contract through 2030 gives Microsoft significant control over OpenAI's operations and 20% of its revenue, but both companies want different terms for the future. OpenAI needs Microsoft's permission to convert...
read Jul 24, 2025Trump plans to roll back FTC enforcement against AI companies
The Trump administration has signaled plans to roll back Federal Trade Commission enforcement actions against AI companies, potentially ending an era of regulatory oversight that protected consumers from deceptive and harmful AI technologies. This shift could accelerate AI deployment while reducing safeguards for accuracy, fairness, and consumer protection, fundamentally altering how AI companies are held accountable for their products. What you should know: The FTC under Biden chair Lina Khan took multiple enforcement actions against AI companies for misleading consumers and deploying harmful technologies. The agency fined Evolv, a security company, for lying about AI-powered security checkpoints that failed to...
read Jul 23, 2025Google boosts AI spending to $85B as user adoption of Gemini app soars
Google's CEO Sundar Pichai declared that "AI is positively impacting every part of the business" as the company reported strong Q2 2025 earnings with $96.4 billion in revenue, up 14% year-over-year. The tech giant is doubling down on its AI strategy by increasing planned capital expenditures to $85 billion—a $10 billion jump that signals Google's determination to keep pace with competitors like OpenAI and Meta in the AI infrastructure race. What you should know: Google's AI features are gaining massive user adoption across its platform ecosystem. AI Overviews now reaches more than 2 billion monthly users across "more than 200...
read Jun 17, 2025Aerial combat: OpenAI considers antitrust complaint against Microsoft over cloud dominance
OpenAI executives have discussed filing an antitrust complaint against Microsoft with US regulators, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the AI partners. The potential federal complaint would argue that Microsoft is using its dominant cloud position and contractual leverage to suppress competition, with insiders describing it as a "nuclear option" that could unravel one of the AI industry's most important business relationships. What you should know: The friction centers on OpenAI's stalled efforts to restructure from a nonprofit into a public benefit corporation, which requires Microsoft's approval. The two companies have been unable to agree on restructuring details after...
read Jun 17, 2025Italy targets DeepSeek in 2nd regulatory probe over AI hallucination warnings
Italy's antitrust regulator AGCM has opened an investigation into Chinese AI startup DeepSeek for allegedly failing to adequately warn users about the risk of AI hallucinations in its responses. The probe represents the latest regulatory challenge for DeepSeek in Italy, following a February order from the country's data protection authority to block access to its chatbot over privacy concerns. What you should know: The Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM), which oversees both antitrust issues and consumer protection, is examining whether DeepSeek provides sufficient warnings about AI-generated misinformation. The regulator claims DeepSeek did not give users "sufficiently clear, immediate and...
read May 23, 2025Google AI deal sparks DoJ investigation, reports say
The Justice Department is investigating Google's partnership with Character.AI, highlighting growing regulatory scrutiny over how tech giants structure AI deals to potentially bypass merger reviews. This probe adds to Google's existing antitrust challenges, including cases targeting its search and digital advertising dominance, and follows similar regulatory attention on AI partnerships formed by Microsoft and Amazon as companies race to secure AI talent and technology. The big picture: The DOJ is examining whether Google's agreement with Character.AI violated antitrust law by potentially structuring the deal to avoid formal government merger review. Investigators are in the early stages of probing the 2023...
read May 21, 2025Google limits publisher options for AI Search opt-out
Google's internal documents reveal a calculated strategy to limit publisher control over how their content is used in AI search features, prioritizing Google's AI development and monetization efforts over publisher autonomy. The disclosure comes amid the ongoing US antitrust trial examining Google's online search dominance, highlighting the company's strategic advantage in AI development through its vast search data repository—an advantage that competitors like Perplexity and OpenAI cannot match. The big picture: Google deliberately avoided giving publishers meaningful choice about their content appearing in AI search features, instead offering what internal documents describe as an "illusion of choice." A newly disclosed...
read May 2, 2025Tech giants face legal challenges as xAI seeks $20B funding
The technology sector faces intensifying legal and regulatory pressures as Apple and Google battle landmark antitrust cases while Elon Musk and OpenAI navigate significant operational challenges. These developments signal a pivotal moment for tech giants as courts, regulators, and users increasingly demand accountability, potentially reshaping how technology companies operate and compete in an AI-dominated landscape. The big picture: A federal judge has found Apple in contempt for violating a 2021 injunction in its Epic Games antitrust case, taking the extraordinary step of referring the company to the U.S. Attorney for potential criminal contempt proceedings. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers determined that...
read Apr 25, 2025Google pays Samsung billions to preinstall Gemini AI
Google's billion-dollar push to dominate AI on Samsung devices has emerged as a critical issue in its ongoing antitrust battle with the Department of Justice. Following Judge Amit Mehta's ruling that Google's search engine constitutes an illegal monopoly, new testimony reveals the company has pivoted to securing premium placement for its Gemini AI assistant through massive financial incentives to device manufacturers—mirroring the same business practices that landed it in legal trouble in the first place. The big picture: Google pays Samsung an "enormous sum of money" monthly to preinstall the Gemini AI app on Samsung devices, according to testimony from...
read Apr 25, 2025Google may sell Chrome as OpenAI and Perplexity AI show interest
Google's antitrust showdown with the U.S. Department of Justice has taken a dramatic turn with the possible forced sale of Chrome, the world's dominant web browser. This development marks a potential watershed moment in tech regulation, as both OpenAI and Perplexity AI have publicly expressed interest in acquiring Chrome should Google be required to divest it. The case highlights escalating government efforts to address monopolistic practices in the digital economy and could reshape the competitive landscape of search and browser markets. The big picture: The U.S. Justice Department is seeking to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser as...
read Apr 17, 2025Google must divest Chrome but can keep AI assets, DOJ rules
Google's ongoing antitrust battle has reached a pivotal moment as the Justice Department surprisingly drops its effort to force the tech giant to divest its AI investments while maintaining pressure on Google to sell Chrome. This shift highlights the DOJ's evolving strategy in addressing Google's market dominance while acknowledging the potential negative consequences of disrupting the rapidly developing AI landscape, especially as Google has invested heavily in AI startups like Anthropic. The big picture: The Department of Justice has abandoned its earlier position that Google should divest from AI companies, citing potential "unintended consequences in the evolving AI space." Google's...
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