How will national security considerations affect antitrust decisions in AI? An examination of historical precedents

Abstract

Antitrust enforcement in the United States has been affected by national security considerations for over a century. The author surveys twelve historical cases in which antitrust enforcement was influenced by national security, focusing on the directness of national security and antitrust concerns, whether the US government took an active or passive role, the presence of presidential involvement, and the presence and outcome of conflicts between national security and economic considerations. The author argues that it is uncommon for the US government to actively use antitrust enforcement to advance unrelated national security objectives, and that when national security and economic considerations conflict, economics has been given more weight over time. The author further argues that the president plays a significant role in resolving such conflicts. Based on these conclusions, the author speculates on the potential consequences of increased national security interest in the AI industry for antitrust enforcement in the coming decades. – AI-generated abstract