Big Data and AI

This chapter develops a basic analytical framework for ICT infrastructure technology collaboration, focusing on how data and the Internet are linked, with particular attention to the competition stimulated by the prospect of “AI networking”. The chapter looks at how AI networking and the competitive ecosystem interact with each other. In this regard, traditional competition theories have difficulty adequately explaining the competition that arises between different layers of ICT networks, which can have a negative impact on disruptive innovation and new value creation. While cooperation is essential for the advancement of AI networks, competition is even more important. It is thus a question of how to balance coordination and competition, which in the context of competition law is a bipolar concept. With respect to the anticompetitive effects resulting from network effects, oligopolistic and monopolistic behavior in AI platforms may occur. In addition, the outputs and programs of AI systems may be modified by learning from the acquired data, creating difficulties in understanding, validating, and controlling the system. It remains unclear how to accurately assess the importance of the data from a competition law perspective. An analysis of the value of this data is recommended. In the context of data accumulation and use, we focused on six topics: market dominance, market definition, abuse of dominance, merger review, personal data protection and competition policy, data ownership and data portability.