Almost all startups, new entrants to the industry, and AI research institutions rely on large tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. These giants not only provide the essential computing infrastructure for training AI systems but also offer consumer market channels for deploying and marketing AI products. Many startups are reshaping their AI models based on those developed by these major tech companies or their related startups. In fact, these small companies often behave more like extensions of the tech giants rather than direct competitors. This symbiotic relationship enables specialization and adaptive experimentation in niche areas but often leads to successful startups being acquired by large tech companies, further consolidating the power dynamics in the industry.

Platform Dominance and Surveillance Business Models

The popularity of large tech companies is attributed to the self-reinforcing nature of their platform dominance and surveillance business models, which enable them to own and manage the critical components required for creating and implementing large-scale AI systems. As a result, these companies can collect vast amounts of user data and leverage it to improve their products and services, creating a continuous feedback loop that keeps them ahead of competitors. This extensive influence also allows these companies to shape the future direction of AI, potentially limiting the adoption of alternative approaches or technologies that could challenge their dominant position.

Recent events involving Microsoft and OpenAI illustrate how financial power translates into control over the AI industry, with companies competing to maintain their dominant positions by introducing increasingly complex AI technologies. This competition has led to rapid advancements in AI but sometimes sacrifices ethical considerations in the pursuit of progress. Stakeholders must strive to strike a balance between technological advancement and upholding ethical standards to ensure that the AI revolution benefits everyone.

OpenAI Incident and Its Impact on AI Development

This concentration of power disrupts market dynamics and raises concerns about democracy, culture, and individual and collective autonomy. Due to this disruption, smaller companies and new entrants struggle to compete and establish themselves in the market, often resulting in reduced innovation and consumer choice. Furthermore, the dominant position of a few powerful entities may erode the fundamental principles of democracy by controlling sources of information and influencing public opinion, thereby affecting the ability of individuals and groups to make independent decisions and express diverse viewpoints.

Unless significant interventions occur, the AI market will continue to strengthen the position of companies benefiting from invasive surveillance business models, a model that has already dominated the commercial internet at the expense of the public. The current state of power in the hands of a few key companies not only restricts competition but also potentially undermines the privacy and autonomy of individuals who rely on the internet for various aspects of their daily lives.