The FTC and DOJ ramp up scrutiny of semiconductor licensing and AI-driven coordination to protect market competition and small-business interests.
The Federal Trade Commission has opened a formal investigation into Arm Holdings, signaling a new front in the government’s effort to prevent semiconductor giants from choking off competition. The probe focuses on whether the company is leveraging its dominant position in chip architecture to restrict or degrade licenses for rivals while simultaneously developing its own hardware. This move underscores a growing concern among regulators that vertical integration in the tech sector is creating insurmountable barriers for smaller innovators who rely on neutral access to foundational technology.
At the heart of the Arm inquiry is the potential for market-power abuse within the CPU landscape. By controlling the underlying blueprints that power everything from smartphones to data centers, a single firm can effectively dictate the pace of innovation for the entire industry. For the independent business owner or the consumer, this concentration often results in higher costs and fewer choices as the market loses the corrective pressure of genuine competition. The FTC is specifically examining if Arm’s licensing practices are being used as a weapon to maintain dominance in related chip technologies, a tactic that would further entrench its position at the expense of the broader ecosystem.
While the FTC focuses on hardware, the Department of Justice is turning its attention to the software layer of corporate control. DOJ antitrust official Daniel Glad recently issued a stern warning to firms utilizing artificial intelligence for pricing. Glad noted that large language models and automated pricing tools do not provide a shield against criminal collusion exposure. The message is clear: outsourcing price-fixing to an algorithm is still price-fixing. This proactive stance aims to prevent a future where corporate software suites quietly coordinate to inflate prices for essential goods and services, bypassing traditional human communication but achieving the same illegal ends.
Consolidation in the media sector is also facing renewed resistance. Five more states have joined the antitrust lawsuit against the $6.2 billion Nexstar-Tegna merger, bringing the total to 13 states in a bipartisan coalition. A federal court has maintained a block on the transaction, citing evidence that the deal could harm competition in dozens of local television markets. Such mergers often lead to a hollowed-out local press and increased advertising rates for small businesses, further concentrating cultural and economic influence in the hands of a few executives. The court’s order specifically highlighted concerns over programming quality and the preservation of local journalism, which often suffers when local stations are absorbed into massive national conglomerates.
These enforcement actions are occurring against a backdrop of shifting regulatory deadlines and increased transparency. The FTC and DOJ have extended the public-comment period on their collaboration guidance to May 21, 2026, allowing more stakeholders to weigh in on how the government should police corporate partnerships. This extension reflects a broader trend toward state-led enforcement and increased public participation in the rulemaking process. Meanwhile, DOJ antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter has warned dealmakers against misleading regulators regarding the role of AI in their business models during merger reviews, signaling that the department will not tolerate the use of emerging tech as a smokescreen for anti-competitive behavior.
From the silicon wafers in our devices to the local news on our screens, the push for corporate accountability is intensifying. These investigations reflect a necessary skepticism of the ‘bigger is better’ mantra that has dominated the American economy for decades. By challenging the gatekeepers of technology and media, enforcers are attempting to restore a marketplace where merit and individual liberty, rather than monopoly power, determine success. The human cost of market concentration is high, and the current slate of federal and state actions suggests a renewed commitment to protecting the competitive fabric of the nation.
Greg Sanders serves as the Senior Correspondent for Corporate Power and Antitrust at Just Right News, where he brings a principled, conservative perspective to the complex intersection of big business, government regulation, and the American consumer. With a career dedicated to investigative depth and economic clarity, Greg has become a leading voice in examining how the consolidation of industry power impacts the foundational values of the free market and individual liberty.
Raised in Denver, Colorado, Greg’s reporting is deeply informed by the Western spirit of independence and a healthy skepticism of centralized authority. Growing up in the shadows of the Rockies, he witnessed firsthand the importance of local entrepreneurship and the vital role that small-medium enterprises play in sustaining vibrant communities. This upbringing instilled in him a belief that the American Dream is best preserved when the playing field remains level and when competition—rather than backroom deals between corporate lobbyists and federal regulators—dictates success. For Greg, the rugged individualism of his home state serves as a constant reminder that the economy should serve the people, not the other way around.
Now based in Chicago, Illinois, Greg operates from the heart of the nation’s industrial and financial crossroads. His location in the Midwest provides him with a unique vantage point to observe the real-world consequences of corporate overreach. From the boardrooms of the Loop to the manufacturing hubs that define the region, he tracks the movement of capital and the shifting tides of market influence. Chicago’s history as a center of trade and labor offers a rich backdrop for his work, allowing him to bridge the gap between high-level economic theory and the lived experiences of hardworking Americans who feel the squeeze of monopolistic practices.
At Just Right News, Greg’s beat focuses on the “new monopolies” and the rise of “woke” corporate culture. He argues that when corporations become too large, they often abandon their fiduciary duties to shareholders in favor of social engineering and political posturing. His reporting seeks to hold these “Titans” accountable, ensuring that the power of the purse is not used to silence dissent or bypass the democratic process. He is a firm advocate for the idea that true conservatism requires a vigilant defense of competition, preventing any single entity—public or private—from exerting undue control over the lives of citizens.
This mission is most clearly seen in his acclaimed feature series, “The Titans and the Toll.” In this ongoing project, Greg explores the human cost of market consolidation, from the erosion of consumer choice to the decline of local economies. Through rigorous analysis and boots-on-the-ground reporting, he documents how the concentration of power in sectors like tech, agriculture, and finance creates a “toll” paid by the average family.
Greg Sanders remains committed to the idea that a transparent, competitive market is the greatest engine for prosperity ever devised. Through his work at Just Right News, he continues to provide the essential oversight necessary to protect that engine from the encroaching influence of corporate giants and the bureaucratic structures that enable them.