• by Ray Schultz , September 11, 2024

A group of U.S. senators have raised antitrust concerns about generative AI in a letter sent to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.

“We write to highlight the risks that new generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) features pose to content creators, including journalists who report local news, and to urge you to investigate whether the design of these features violates the antitrust laws,” wrote  Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Tina Smith (D-MN).

The letter continues, “It is crucial that we ensure that big tech platforms do not misappropriate content from journalists and other content creators, leading to less local news reporting and credible sources of information, along with lower levels of competition, investment, innovation in the digital marketplace.”  

The News/Media Alliance supports the request. 

“This latest overreach by AI companies contributes to an existing problem in which, for years, tech platforms’ practices in the online marketplace have prevented news publishers from monetizing their content, forcing many publishers out of business,” says Danielle Coffey, president & CEO of the News/Media Alliance.

Coffey continues, “The tech platforms have regularly introduced more and more features that keep users on their platforms without having to click through, but they have not compensated the original creators of the content they are using. Publishers must be paid fairly for the use of their content, and AI companies that do not seek proper authorization or pay creators for their content must be held accountable.”