Hello and welcome to Eye on AI.
Today we’re starting with some breaking news in the world of generative AI. The U.S. FTC this afternoon announced it’s launching an inquiry into generative AI partnerships between Big Tech and startups. Specifically, the agency is investigating three multi-billion dollar deals that have shaped the AI landscape as we know it: Microsoft and OpenAI, Google and Anthropic, and Amazon and Anthropic. The FTC issued orders to all of the involved companies, seeking specifics about their agreements, the practical implications of these partnerships, analysis of the transactions’ competitive impact, competition for AI inputs and resources, and more information. This investigation could have major ramifications for these companies and the AI and technology landscape—and we’ll be paying close attention as it pans out.
