ANTICOMPETITIVE
Inside McDonald's push to have AI price your Big Mac
McDonald's has implemented artificial intelligence to optimize pricing strategies across its restaurants and franchises. This pricing model analyzes customer willingness to pay, creating variations in prices for identical menu items. Franchisees report pressure to adopt these AI-driven pricing recommendations despite the company's claims of their independence. Concerns regarding antitrust implications are raised as franchises may be seen as competitors.
AI leaders called for a slowdown; now they're being sued over it
AI leaders’ calls for slowing the pace of artificial intelligence development have triggered a fresh debate over safety, competition and regulation. Now, a lawsuit accusing major AI companies of antitrust violations has added another twist to the debate.
Google should relax ad tech rules, appoint antitrust monitor, US judge finds
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, gave her assessment in a decision unsealed on Wednesday, two weeks after she rejected the U.S. Department of Justice's insistence that Google break up its business of placing ads across the internet.
EU-India FTA: European Commission sends landmark trade deal to council for signature, paving way for ratification
The European Commission has asked EU member states for approval to sign and conclude its landmark Free Trade Agreement with India, a deal that would eliminate or reduce tariffs on 96% of EU goods exports and save exporters an estimated €4 billion a year. Once cleared by the Council, the pact still needs European Parliament consent and India's own ratification before it can enter into force.
Google defeats US bid to force ad tech sale
While the ad exchange is a small part of Google's business, the ruling is the second powerful symbolic victory against the U.S. Department of Justice in its efforts to force Google to sell assets to address illegal monopolies.
Judge likely to deny California's bid to stop Amazon's alleged price fixing
Bonta sued Amazon in 2022, accusing the company of dominating online retail with anticompetitive tactics that raise prices for consumers.
Google to pay $36 million fine for anticompetitive deals with Australia's largest telcos
Google has agreed to pay a AU$55 million fine for anti-competitive deals with Telstra and Optus that restricted rival search engines on Android phones. The ACCC said the deals reduced consumer choice. Google will also remove certain contractual restrictions, as AI tools increase competition in the search market.
Google makes history with rapid-fire antitrust losses
The Google decisions are part of a wave of current antitrust cases challenging the power of the biggest tech companies. This week, the trial began in a suit by the FTC claiming that Meta, formerly Facebook, cemented an illegal monopoly in social media through its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.
CCI penalises UFO Moviez, Qube Cinema for anticompetitive conduct
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has penalized UFO Moviez, Scrabble Digital, and Qube Cinema Technologies for anticompetitive practices. The regulator imposed fines of ₹1.04 crore on UFO Moviez and Scrabble, and ₹1.66 crore on Qube, citing tie-in arrangements restricting content supply to cinema theatre owners.
US FTC weighs in on Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI
The US Federal Trade Commission, while it did not support either side, pointed out the legalities that could potentially support Elon Musk's claim that OpenAI and Microsoft engaged in anticompetitive practices. Musk's claim is that OpenAI breached antitrust laws by requiring investors to refrain from investing in competing artificial intelligence companies.
US probes China chip industry on 'anticompetitive' concerns
The US is probing China's semiconductor policies. The US government worries about unfair competition. China may be using tactics to hurt US businesses. These tactics could affect many industries. The investigation will examine China's chip production. It will also look at how these chips are used in other products. The US wants to protect its supply chains.
US DOJ to sue Visa over debit card market monopoly: Reports
The U.S. Department of Justice is set to sue Visa, alleging the company monopolized the debit card market through anticompetitive practices. The lawsuit follows an investigation into Visa's actions that may have hindered competition and raised merchant fees. Visa and the DOJ have not commented on the matter.
Google fights $17 billion UK lawsuit over adtech practices
The lawsuit seeks damages of up to 13.6 billion pounds ($16.9 billion) on behalf of publishers of websites and apps based in the United Kingdom, who say they have suffered losses due to Google's allegedly anticompetitive behaviour.
EU starts early-stage probe into Nvidia-dominated AI chip market's abuses: report
This follows a similar move by French authorities, who have been interviewing market players on Nvidia's key role in AI chips, its price policy, the shortage of chips and its impact on prices, the report added.
French competition authority raids Nvidia's offices for anticompetitive practices: report
The authority said its operation this week followed a broader inquiry into the cloud-computing sector revolving around concerns that cloud-computing companies could use their access to computing power to exclude smaller competitors.
Google accuses Microsoft of anticompetitive cloud practices: report
Microsoft used the licensing terms in its Office 365 productivity software to lock customers into separate contracts with its Azure cloud server business, Google's complaint said, according to the report.
Bill likely today on big tech cos' anti-competitive moves
Last year, the parliamentary standing committee on finance, headed by Sinha, examined the subject of alleged anticompetitive practices by big technology companies. The committee submitted its report to Parliament on December 22.
Facebook accuses Apple of anticompetitive behavior
The world's biggest social media company ran full-page ads in major newspapers criticizing Apple's plans, which will limit apps' ability to gather data from people's phones that can be used for targeted advertising.
4 tech cos sue Facebook for anti-competitive behaviour
Facebook was sued by four potential competitors who accuse it of anticompetitive behaviour and who asked a judge to order chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg to give up control of the social media behemoth.
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