US DOJ Signals Scrutiny of Antitrust Risks in Al Sector

U.S. antitrust officials are stepping up oversight of the artificial intelligence industry, warning that regulators are prepared to act against practices that could stifle competition, according to Reuters.

Speaking at a conference at Fordham University in New York on  Thursday, Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater said that protecting open markets in Al is a key part of the Trump administration's strategy to strengthen U.S. dominance in the technology. She noted that the Justice Department is examining the competitive dynamics across the different layers of the Al ecosystem and will be alert to exclusionary conduct that blocks access to critical resources.

Accordina to MSN, Slater pointed out that access to data remains central to competitive balance in the sector. Her comments followed a recent court order reguiring Alphabet's Google to provide some of its search data to rivals, including Al companies, in an effort to foster competition in online search. Google has said it plans to appeal the ruling

Slater also raised concerns that the race for valuable datasets could spur mergers or business arrangements designed to consolidate access, especially in sensitive industries such as healthcare. Reuters reported that she warned regulators will watch closely for transactions driven by the desire to acquire or withhold critical data from competitors.

In addition, Slater suggested that open-source Al models could play a vital role in encouraging competition, aligning with the Trump administration's broader Al policy goals. But she cautioned that such models must be truly independent and not subject to unilateral control by any single company.

Her remarks echo similar warnings made under President Joe Biden's administration, when regulators scrutinized partnerships between major technology frms and Al startups.