AOC and FTC vs. AI: What's Going to Happen Next?

It looks like the whole world has a horse in the 2024 presidential race. Just off the top of my head: the war in Ukraine, the boiling Middle East, the melting EU economy, the China trade deals, and the list of interests and stakes goes on and on. Not to mention countless conspiracy theories, lobbies, predictions, and even aliens.

One person can't be the solution for all problems, even if he or she is the 47th President of the United States. But, all the President's men that are going to eventually and inevitably come and follow. Well, that's a different story. It's no wonder we...

Can't See AI Problems for the Trees

"Show more?" By all means, right away, let's see what's going on here and why AOC is willing to brawl on the FTC hill.

Wait! Who's going after the Big Tech? Why? What AI has to do with it?

Technically speaking, "Khan's term technically ended this month, though she can stay on as chair until a president replaces her." So, let's just all sit and wait for the President to move around all these chairs. Or, Mark Cuban is afraid that he or she (uh, those damn pronouns) would have a lot on his or her (here they come again) plate from day one in the White House, and this FTC chair could get lost in translation.

Cuban is X-ing mixed signals.

First, he praised Lina Khan for launching a series of antitrust probes, but then this...

The bigger picture is, she’s hurting more than she’s helping.

Cuban added that "she had overstepped in taking on technology firms in the AI space." Oh, malice at the AI palace. What exactly are we talking about?

It turned out that the FTC "launched a probe of eight companies that offer "surveillance pricing" tools that use artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology to analyze consumer data to help set price targets for products and services.

Companies that were ordered by the FTC to provide information for the regulator's study of surveillance pricing include Mastercard, JPMorgan Chase, McKinsey & Co., Accenture, Pros Holdings Inc., Revionics, Bloomreach, and Task Software. The FTC is concerned that "surveillance pricing" could cause consumers to pay higher prices."

Then, there's this. As the Dallas Mavericks minority owner, Cuban has strongly defended the questionable NBA's partnerships with China more than once "despite opposing Chinese and all human rights violations." But, at the same time:

Look, I don't follow NBA as I used to, and I'm still exploring AI space, but good luck at trying to explain the concept of global dominance to the guys at the CCP.

The "Operation AI Comply," Or Else...

"With Operation AI Comply, agency announces five law enforcement actions against operations that use AI hype or sell AI technology that can be used in deceptive and unfair ways."

To be more precise, this FTC's Operation includes "actions against a company promoting an AI tool that enabled its customers to create fake reviews, a company claiming to sell “AI Lawyer” services, and multiple companies claiming that they could use AI to help consumers make money through online storefronts."

These intentions are good, but it's easy to get lost and misunderstood in the middle of the DOJ's accusations that "Google is a monopolist" and Apple is "violating antitrust laws."

If you follow the money, you can't avoid interesting moments and OpenSecrets that these two tech giants are among the top five contributors to the Biden/Harris campaign:

Cuban isn't the only major Harris donor who's not comfortable with Khan sitting in the FTC chair. "LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman in July said Khan is “a person who is not helping America,” adding that “antitrust is fine” but that “waging war is not.” IAC Chairman Barry Diller has said he would lobby a Harris Administration to drop Khan."

It should be obvious that first, you have to win the Presidential chair to even consider other chairs, including the one reserved for the FTC.

Back to AOC and X:

"She proves this admin fights for working people. It would be terrible leadership to remove her."

Don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched. I mean, before all votes have been counted.

In the meantime, Trump plans to appoint Musk as ‘Secretary of Cost-Cutting.’ There are no brawls in Trump's camp.