Universal connectivity and competitive communications markets will determine whether artificial intelligence (AI) delivers broad economic gains or reinforces market concentration, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Olivia Trusty said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the INCOMPAS Policy Summit in Washington, Trusty described AI as “one of the most transformative technologies of our time,” but she warned that the technology’s benefits are not guaranteed.
“Concentration, whether in the computing power to run AI, data, or connectivity, can limit innovation and raise barriers to entry,” Trusty said. Maintaining competitive, “trusted and dynamic” markets, she added, is essential to ensuring AI does not benefit only “a few firms or a few geographies.”
Trusty emphasized that AI’s growth depends on communications infrastructure, calling connectivity a “foundational requirement” for the technology to reach its full potential.
“AI does not exist in a vacuum,” she said. “It relies on networks, networks that are fast, resilient and ubiquitous. Universal connectivity is essential if all Americans are to benefit from artificial intelligence.”
Trusty said AI heightens the importance of investments in a variety of innovative offerings, including fiber networks, fixed wireless, satellite, and other technologies.
She outlined several areas where the FCC is focused on supporting competition and innovation, including streamlining permitting and rights-of-way access, as well as adopting an “all of the above approach” to spectrum policy.
Trusty also said the FCC is working to advance the IP transition away from legacy technologies, expedite submarine cable licensing, and strengthen cybersecurity through public-private partnerships.
Looking ahead, Trusty pointed to President Donald Trump’s recent signaling that the FCC may examine issues such as “AI transparency and disclosure,” as well as whether federal action could prevent “a patchwork of conflicting state requirements that impede innovation and U.S. leadership.”
As AI becomes more deeply integrated into communications networks, Trusty said longstanding communications policy principles remain relevant.
“Competition and innovation have been central to communications policy for decades. They are not ends in themselves, but means to deliver better outcomes for consumers, for businesses, and for our economy,” Trusty said.
“As we enter the AI era, the partnership between competition and innovation becomes even more important,” she added. “AI’s promise will depend on open markets, robust networks, and policies that encourage innovation and investment rather than entrenchment.”