Big Tech Is Spending a Ton Of Money On AI To Bet Against You

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the recent surge of investments and hype around generative AI (GenAI) technology, and the author's belief that this is a coordinated effort by the "Big 3" tech giants (Apple, Amazon, Google) to consolidate control and ownership over AI data and capabilities.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The author's perspective on the recent AI hype and investments

1. What is the author's view on the recent investments and announcements around generative AI?

• The author believes this is a deliberate effort by the "Big 3" tech companies (Apple, Amazon, Google) to secure exclusive technical ownership of AI for themselves, driven by corporate cash and venture money.
• The author sees this as a "conspiracy theory of epic proportions" where the tech giants are trying to control the data and input/output mechanisms around AI.

2. What examples does the author provide to support this view?

• The author points to recent announcements like Apple integrating GenAI into its products, Amazon investing $230 million into GenAI startups, and the $640 million Series B funding for startup Mistral.
• The author argues these moves are less about helping startups and more about the tech giants jockeying for position and control in the AI space.

3. What does the author say about the concept of "ethical AI" in this context?

• The author believes "ethical AI" is just a "red herring" and "smoke screen" to open the door for these companies to point AI at whatever business model they want, as long as it's labeled as "ethical."

[02] The author's perspective on data ownership and AI

1. What point does the author make about data ownership and AI?

• The author states that the key insight is "Whoever owns the data owns AI." This is based on the author's experience at their previous startup Automated Insights, where they found that having the right data is crucial for building effective AI models.

2. How does the author connect this to the actions of the tech giants?

• The author argues that companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple already own massive troves of data from their various products and services. By controlling this data, they can control the development of AI systems.
• The author suggests the tech giants are trying to consolidate their data ownership to gain an advantage in the AI space.

3. What does the author see as the potential outcomes of this data ownership dynamic?

• The author believes the tech giants are forcing companies and consumers to "join them" by partnering with the giants or risk being left behind in the AI race.
• The author concludes that "the robots aren't taking over, the robots are us" - meaning the tech giants are the ones controlling the AI narrative and capabilities.