Apr 03, 2024 13:05:00

Apple cut off a news program and blocked a discussion between the FTC chairman and a famous TV host over concerns about AI and antitrust law.

Apple is conducting research and development into AI, and details of the AI it is developing are

expected to be revealed by the second half of 2024. It has been revealed that Apple has canceled a discussion between famous comedian and host Jon Stewart and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Lina Khan, as they dislike the topic of AI and antitrust law.

Lina Khan – FTC Chair on Amazon Antitrust Lawsuit & AI Oversight | The Daily Show - YouTube


Jon Stewart to FTC chair: Apple wouldn't let you on podcast
https://www.axios.com/2024/04/02/jon-stewart-apple-ftc-chair-interview

Jon Stewart is a comedian and satirical news show host, and was also the host of the show ' The Problem with Jon Stewart, ' which was distributed on Apple TV+ from 2021. However, the show was canceled in October 2023 without any explanation.

Apple has not disclosed the reason for ending The Problem with Jon Stewart, but shortly after the show was canceled, The New York Times reported that 'issues related to China and AI were the cause of the cancellation.' Stewart also confirmed the New York Times report in an interview with CBS.

Stewart recently revealed the contents of conversations he had with Apple during the broadcast of 'The Problem with Jon Stewart' on the April 2, 2024 episode of his satirical news program 'The Daily Show.'

FTC Chairman Lina Khan was invited as a guest on The Daily Show that day, and Stewart and Chairman Khan were talking about monopolies by large technology companies. Then, 15 minutes and 54 seconds into the show, Stewart said, 'Big companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google are buying AI startups and putting them behind paywalls. I wanted to invite Chairman Khan to the podcast (The Problem with Jon Stewart) to discuss this situation. But Apple asked me not to invite Chairman Khan. Why were they afraid to have these conversations in public?' He revealed that Apple disliked topics related to AI and antitrust law.

Khan and Stewart's conversation on The Daily Show came just days after the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of throttling apps that interfered with its sales strategies and preventing its products from working with other companies' smartphones.

Apple sued by Department of Justice and 16 attorneys general for smartphone monopoly, Apple takes on 'dangerous precedent' - GIGAZINE