Episode Overview
Episode Title: Trump Gets Dire Warning Over the Future of AI, He's Owned By Tech Billionaires
Podcast: IHIP News
Hosts: Jennifer Welch & Angie “Pumps” Sullivan
Date: December 14, 2025
Guest: Jonathan Kanter, Former Assistant Deputy Attorney General (Antitrust Division), current Professor
Main Theme:
The episode explores the growing power of Big Tech in the AI era, the resurgence of monopolistic structures, government inaction, and the dangers that the lack of regulation poses to democracy and everyday life. Featuring Jonathan Kanter, an antitrust expert, the discussion dives deep into the intersection of AI, media consolidation, and political influence—particularly focusing on policy failures and the looming threats to competition, mental health, and the public sphere.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Modern Oligarchs and Tangled Tech Monopolies
- Historical Context: Kanter draws a direct parallel between today’s tech billionaires and the industrial oligarchs of the early 20th century (Carnegie, Rockefeller).
- “We have oligarchs who have interests all over the place…It’s a small number of them owned or controlled by these massive billionaires who have the same kind of influence on society that led to the creation of the antitrust laws in the first place.” — Kanter [02:54]
- Current Tech Landscape: Companies like OpenAI, Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and AMD are heavily intertwined through investments and control, raising alarm bells similar to those that inspired historical antitrust laws.
2. Government Inaction & Legislative Gridlock
- Federal Level Stagnation: Kanter laments the lack of decisive federal action.
- “For over 20 years or 40 years, frankly, since the early 80s, we were asleep at the switch…We took decisive action…I'm afraid we're not going to get that same level of decisive action now.” — Kanter [03:25]
- State vs. Federal Intervention: With Congress paralyzed, states become the only recourse—but are under-resourced and vulnerable to federal preemption.
- “In the absence of the Fed stepping in, we need the states to do something. The problem with the executive order and this moratorium bill…is that it wants to basically eliminate the ability of the states to do anything at all…which leaves us in a complete wild west.” — Kanter [04:30]
3. AI, Social Media, and Societal Manipulation
- Algorithmic Control: The conversation uses a powerful metaphor of “electric fences” to describe algorithmic influence:
- “We’re all dogs with collars being zapped all the time. We are being…conditioned to see things, to click on things, to think things, and we’re being manipulated in ways we don’t even understand.” — Kanter [05:51]
- Effects on Democracy: Small groups of big tech companies have outsized power over public discourse, behavior, and even political outcomes.
4. Radicalization and Mental Health
- Algorithmic Radicalization: Kanter links increased isolation and radicalization with algorithmic feeds, emphasizing harms especially to children.
- Comparisons to Tobacco: Limits for minors are advocated, echoing public health movements of past decades.
- “This is in many respects very similar kind of tobacco…having a significant effect on the health of our children. And in this case it’s the mental health of our children.” — Kanter [11:42]
- Support for Regulation: Kanter endorses policies such as banning phones in schools to support mental health and socialization.
5. Media Consolidation and the American Dream
- Warner Brothers Example: Kanter highlights Warner as now “too small” to compete alone, indicating a systemic problem that disadvantages not only legacy giants but also new startups and small businesses.
- “If Warner Brothers is too small to succeed on its own, we have a problem in this country.” — Kanter [08:22]
- Consequences for Opportunity and Politics: The consolidation threatens the American Dream and fuels social division, which is further exploited by manipulative algorithms and demagogues.
6. Antitrust Enforcement and Limitations
- Government Subpoena Power: The DOJ has subpoena authority but lacks technical expertise and updated regulatory frameworks.
- “When I was at the Department of Justice…we subpoenaed the algorithm…had our data scientists do a line by line review of the code.” — Kanter [10:05]
- Aging Leadership and Agency Weakness: Kanter criticizes leadership as too old and agencies as unfit for modern technical challenges.
7. Need for New Institutions and Resources
- Nonprofits and Private Action: Some resources exist, but they are insufficient.
- Institutional Decay: The infrastructure from the New Deal era has been “stripped down to the studs”—rebuilding will require new ideas and voices.
- “All of the institutions that we had in government were really a product of the New Deal era. That’s been stripped down to the studs…We’re gonna have to rebuild it from the ground up.” — Kanter [13:51]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On AI Regulation:
“We’ve invented the equivalent of cars and trucks, but we have no stop signs, no lines on the road, no traffic lights and no speed limits.” — Kanter [04:30] -
On the Scope of Monopolies:
“In order to be big, you have to be big. And so you create this massive gap in wealth, and it creates a massive gap in opportunity.” — Kanter [08:30] -
On Political Will:
“When we finally get the will and the political will and the public will to do that, hopefully sooner than later, we’re gonna have to start from scratch almost.” — Kanter [14:24] -
On the Future:
“We need to figure out not just how do we stop the demagoguery today…but also how do we build a government and a society that works for everyone, not just for the 1%.” — Kanter [14:44]
Important Segment Timestamps
- [01:56] — Explanation of Tech Oligarchies and Antitrust History
- [03:25] — DOJ Lawsuits Against Tech Giants and Antitrust Litigation
- [04:30] — Legislative Gridlock and Impact on State Powers
- [05:51] — Manipulation by AI Algorithms
- [08:09] — Media Consolidation and Warner Brothers Example
- [10:05] — DOJ’s Capability to Investigate Algorithms
- [11:42] — Argument for Youth Protections and School Phone Bans
- [13:51] — Institutional Decline and Call for New Solutions
Tone & Style
The conversation is urgent, candid, and occasionally laced with dark humor and metaphors to make complex policy issues accessible. Jennifer and Angie are informal but focused, prompting Kanter to break down legal and technological challenges in relatable terms.
Summary Takeaway
This episode outlines a dire warning about unchecked AI and tech monopolies, highlighting the dangerous retreat of regulation, the profound manipulation of public thought, and threats to democracy and opportunity. Jonathan Kanter calls for renewed antitrust action, institutional rebuilding, and broad-based advocacy to restore competitive markets and societal health. The time for action, he warns, is running out.