Lawmakers and Antitrust Watchdogs Concerned Over Google’s AI Development
Lawmakers and antitrust watchdogs are raising concerns about Google’s development of advanced AI products and warning that the tech giant’s alleged monopoly over online search will only strengthen without federal intervention. While the Justice Department’s landmark antitrust trial against Google has primarily focused on the company’s past tactics, critics, including Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), argue that Google’s pursuit of AI tools, such as the Bard chatbot, will further exacerbate competition concerns in the future. Buck emphasizes the need for Congress to act to prevent these companies from manipulating and stifling competition.
A Google spokeswoman responded by stating that there is already significant competition and investment in AI from both new players and existing companies. The spokeswoman highlighted that leading AI labs like OpenAI and Anthropic started without proprietary data and emphasized that Google offers tools to encourage innovation and research by releasing various datasets.
The debate surrounding AI’s impact on online search arose during the trial on October 2 when Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella testified, claiming that Google’s default deals undermine user choice. Microsoft has invested in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, and integrated their AI chatbot into Bing search to challenge Google. However, Nadella downplayed the impact of Microsoft’s investments, noting that Google holds a 90% market share compared to Bing’s 3%. Nadella also raised concerns about Google securing exclusive content deals to support Bard, potentially further strengthening its advantage.
Google denies having exclusive deals with publishers and asserts that its AI models are primarily trained on publicly available data. However, Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged the connection between Bard and the company’s long-term ambitions for its search business. Pichai described AI as supercharging Google search but did not mention when this integration might occur. Presently, Bard remains an experiment, separate from the main search engine.
Despite early hiccups and criticisms, Google’s plan to integrate Bard into its search engine has already raised concern among industry experts. Luther Lowe, a former top policy executive at Yelp, warns that dominant companies like Google and Microsoft are using their position to control critical AI applications and datasets, limiting consumer choice and innovation. Lowe argues that Google’s plan to hardwire Bard into its search engine will stifle competition and innovation from the outset, as it becomes the default chatbot for most users.
Congressional action may be necessary to address the competition concerns surrounding AI adequately, according to Christine Bartholomew, a professor at University at Buffalo School of Law specializing in antitrust litigation. While she believes that the antitrust laws are broad enough to address these concerns, she worries that judicial interpretations have become too narrow. Meanwhile, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) believes that a breakup of Google is necessary to ensure fair market competition as AI products continue to advance.
The federal antitrust trial against Google and its potential outcomes, including the discontinuation of certain business practices or a breakup of the company, are likely years away. Judge Amit Mehta will first determine if Google has violated antitrust law, with a ruling expected early next year. Buck suggests that this case may set new precedents and could potentially reach the Supreme Court.
Overall, concerns regarding Google’s AI technology and its impact on online search monopolization continue to grow, warranting attention and action from both lawmakers and antitrust authorities.
