Jonathan Kanter taps AI to confront Big Tech
| Source: The Verge | Original article
Former DOJ antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter is now leveraging AI in the private sector to challenge Big Tech monopolies.
Jonathan Kanter, who left the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division in 2024, has launched a new private‑sector initiative that leverages artificial‑intelligence tools to probe and challenge the market power of the United States’ biggest tech firms. The former assistant attorney general announced that he is now working with a team that includes a former acting head of the Antitrust Division, using AI‑driven analysis to sift through corporate data, map competitive dynamics and flag potentially illegal monopolistic behavior.
The move marks a shift from traditional government enforcement to a hybrid model where sophisticated machine‑learning platforms augment legal expertise. By automating the detection of patterns such as self‑preferencing, exclusive contracts and data‑access barriers, Kanter’s effort could accelerate the identification of anti‑competitive practices that have long been difficult for regulators to prove. In an era when Big Tech’s algorithms and data ecosystems are themselves built on AI, the use of comparable technology to scrutinise them underscores a growing arms race between regulators and the companies they oversee.
Why it matters is twofold. First, it signals that antitrust pressure on firms like Google, Amazon, Meta and Apple will continue even after the DOJ’s formal actions have waned, potentially reshaping litigation strategies and corporate compliance programs. Second, it raises questions about the reliability and transparency of AI‑based legal investigations, especially given recent concerns about government pressure on AI executives and the broader national‑security stakes tied to the AI race.
What to watch next: Kanter’s team is expected to file its first set of complaints or shareholder‑class‑action filings later this year, and will likely partner with law firms that specialise in technology antitrust. Observers will be keen to see whether courts accept AI‑generated evidence and how Big Tech responds—whether by adjusting business practices, lobbying for clearer AI‑use guidelines, or mounting their own technical defenses. The outcome could set a precedent for how AI is deployed in future competition enforcement across the sector.
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