Competition, Connectivity, and the AI Future

I want to talk about the enduring relationship between competition and innovation in communications, and what that relationship means as we enter an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. If you span the history of telecommunications, whether we’re talking about voice, video, or data; long-distance or local service; wired or wireless, one theme stands out: competition. Indeed, over time, communications policy in the United States has increasingly focused on promoting competition, where we have more providers, more choices for consumers, and better quality services. To achieve those objectives, efforts within Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission have been dedicated to opening markets, lowering barriers to entry, and leveraging market forces, not bureaucratic mandates, to drive innovation.... Regulators must ask difficult questions: Are our rules technology-neutral?  Do they promote investment rather than discourage it?  Do they recognize convergence rather than reinforce silos?  These questions matter even more as we look toward the next major technological shift.... Universal connectivity is essential if all Americans are to benefit from AI. That means continued investment in fiber networks, deployed by incumbents and competitive providers. It also means embracing innovative offerings that use fixed wireless, satellite, and other technologies to extend high-capacity services to every corner of the country. And connectivity for AI is not just about fixed access. Increasingly, AI will be mobile.