Patrick Boyle On Finance How Big Tech Is Quietly Taking Over AI (Without Mergers)
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Jun 29, 2025 Big Tech is cleverly maneuvering through the AI landscape, making strategic investments and forming exclusive partnerships. Instead of outright acquisitions, companies like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon are shaping the AI ecosystem while skirting antitrust concerns. The discussion highlights how these moves, although subtle, can exert control reminiscent of historical monopolies. The implications for competition and regulation in this evolving sector are both significant and eye-opening.
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Non-Acquisition Acquisitions in AI
- Big Tech firms use "non-acquisition acquisitions" like exclusive contracts and talent hires to control AI without formal mergers.
- This strategy avoids regulatory scrutiny while gaining economic control similar to full ownership.
Rockefeller's Secret Control Playbook
- John D. Rockefeller used silent partnerships and a trust to control Standard Oil without outright ownership.
- This secretive control ultimately led to the 1911 Supreme Court breakup under antitrust laws.
Meta's Scale AI Strategic Investment
- Meta's $14.3B deal with Scale AI gave it exclusive data access and key talent without a formal merger.
- Such deals blur ownership lines and pose antitrust concerns around control and competition.