Lina Khan says AI companies are following the same playbook that got Big Tech into trouble

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-10-04T18:31:03.843Z • Permanent link

Former Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair Lina Khan has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) companies are following a similar playbook to the one that led to regulatory scrutiny of Big Tech giants. Khan, who led the FTC's efforts to regulate the tech industry, expressed her concerns during an interview on ABC's "This Week" program. She stated that AI companies are creating their own self-regulatory bodies, which she believes will ultimately lead to the same issues that plagued the tech industry. Khan's comments come at a time when AI companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft are establishing their own regulatory frameworks for AI development.

Khan's concerns are rooted in her experience with Big Tech, where companies such as Google and Facebook were criticized for failing to adequately regulate their own practices. In 2020, the FTC fined Google $5.1 billion for violating antitrust laws, and Facebook was fined $5 billion for failing to protect user data. Khan believes that AI companies are making the same mistakes, and that their self-regulatory bodies will ultimately lead to a lack of accountability and transparency.

Khan's warnings have been echoed by other experts, including economist and technology critic, Robert H. Frank. Frank has argued that AI companies are creating their own regulatory bodies because they are trying to avoid government oversight. He believes that this approach will ultimately lead to a lack of accountability and that AI companies will prioritize their own interests over those of consumers.

The warning from Khan and other experts has significant implications for the data sources domain, particularly for research communities and markets. AI companies are a key player in the development of new data sources, and their self-regulatory bodies will likely shape the way that data is collected, used, and protected. Research communities will need to be aware of these developments and adapt their approaches to ensure that they are not inadvertently perpetuating problems.

One of the most affected companies by Khan's warnings is Palantir, a data analytics firm that has been criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability. Palantir has established its own regulatory framework for AI development, which has raised concerns among regulators and researchers. The company's approach has been compared to that of Big Tech giants, and its self-regulatory body has been criticized for lacking transparency and accountability.

Markets will also be impacted by Khan's warnings, as investors begin to take notice of the potential risks associated with AI companies. Research communities will need to be cautious in their assessments of AI companies and their self-regulatory bodies, and will need to consider the potential implications for data sources and markets.