By Louis LehotKey Takeaways
Author: Pat Pascarella
AI will weaponize antitrust. AI markets have high fixed costs, winner-take-all dynamics, platform leverage, bundling power, and data lock-in. These dynamics predict concentration. And market concentration is an accelerant for antitrust litigation—both private and government. We saw it with IBM, Microsoft, and the telecom wars.
Private actions will move faster than government
Joanna Forster shares essential insights on emerging state and federal regulations in artificial intelligence and consumer protection with reporters from Forbes and Bloomberg Law. In Algorithmic And Surveillance Pricing Pushes Retail Into Legal Minefield, Joanna discusses the legal risks associated with AI-driven pricing practices in light of the California AG’s recent investigative sweep into
Friends,In last month’s newsletter, we highlighted how private equity accelerated exits amid rising liquidity pressure and how venture-backed startups leaned into record levels of founder-led mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to compete in an artificial intelligence (AI)‑intensified market. Both trends underscored the need for resilience under compressed timelines, with consolidation and creative liquidity tools becoming
The past month has marked a series of announcements from the Department of War (the “Department”) emphasizing rapid deployment of artificial intelligence (“AI”) industry partnerships. These announcements signal opportunities for not only the defense industrial base, but also nontraditional defense contractors focused on technology and data.
On January 9, 2026, the Department released two key
The Department of Defense (DoD) issued a memorandum on January 16, 2026 to announce a two‑stage review of small business set‑aside and 8(a) contract awards over $20 million for possible terminations for convenience. This review is occurring quickly, and contractors should be prepared to understand what DoD is investigating and respond quickly to agency requests.
Each week, Crowell & Moring’s State Attorneys General team highlights significant actions that State AGs have taken. See our State Attorneys General page for more insights. Below are the updates from January 15-21, 2026:
Multistate
More than one billion dollars were spent in 2024 elections supporting or opposing state and local ballot measures. With high-profile and contentious issues expected to be on the ballot, such as congressional redistricting, AI regulation, minimum wage increases, and more, that number promises to be even larger in 2026. As state legislatures become more polarized
In an important first, the yearly defense policy law, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, directs the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and implement a framework addressing the cybersecurity and physical security of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies (AI/ML) acquired by the Pentagon.
Friends,In last month’s newsletter, we examined how strong venture capital (VC) momentum and artificial intelligence’s (AI) dominance collided with extended liquidity timelines to reshape exit strategies. While funding and deal activity surged, delayed initial public offering (IPO) windows fueled growth in secondary transactions, making direct secondaries and continuation vehicles essential tools for investors navigating