Public-Private Powerplays in Generative AI Era: Balancing Big Tech Regulation Amidst Global AI Race

Abstract

The past decades have seen unbridled growth in the economic, social and political influence of large technology corporations (Big Tech) in the United States. The rising popularity of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is likely to further consolidate the power of these companies. The rapid expansion of Big Tech in various domains has triggered a wide range of economic, ethical, and political concerns. However, the US Government is also engaged in a growing technology and AI race with China. As a result, the US government now faces the challenges of balancing the external goal of winning the AI race through close collaboration with the Big Tech and the internal objective of regulating the Big Tech. In this paper, we argue that this intersection of interest has been the primary motivator of US policy on the governance of Big Tech. By exploring the evolution of AI policy in the US, we highlight the role internal and external pressures have played in its approach to AI governance.