Welcome back for a whirlwind Congressional Session! With Trump’s sweeping win and a Republican trifecta now setting the tone in Washington, the gears of tech and policy are grinding into a whole new dynamic. This week, we’re diving into the fresh fault lines between Washington and the world: Australia stands firm on its AI and social media regulation agenda despite U.S. opposition; Nvidia overtakes Apple as the world’s tech titan; bipartisan senators are pushing mental health warnings on social media; and a New York judge throws out a copyright lawsuit against OpenAI. Strap in as we navigate this new era of tech policy, global friction, AI on Capitol Hill, and what surprises we might encounter as we approach the 119th Congress.

In this week’s Nimitz Tech:

• GOP Trifecta: Trump’s tech transition team signals new moves in AI and digital trade—but will familiar faces bring predictable policy?

• OpenAI: Judge dismisses Raw Story and AlterNet’s lawsuit against OpenAI over article use—will amended claims change the outcome?

• AI Regulation: Australia stands firm on AI and social media regulation, pledging national priorities over U.S. policy shifts under Trump.

WHO’S HAVING EVENTS THIS WEEK?

Wednesday, November 13th

• 👷🏽 HEARING: “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth.” House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs. Hearing scheduled for 11:30 AM in 2154 Rayburn HOB. Watch here.

TECH NEWS DRIVING THE WEEK

In Washington

• Covering Donald Trump’s latest presidential transition is vastly different from 2016, when confusion abounded about his plans and personnel. Now, tech insiders are paying close attention to figures like Michael Kratsios and Gail Slater, who are set to lead tech policy in the transition. Kratsios, a former U.S. chief technology officer with a focus on AI and China, and Slater, with experience at both Big Tech and Big Content, offer clues about potential priorities on AI, digital trade, and antitrust. However, Trump’s unpredictability means that even familiar names may not guarantee a clear direction.

• The race to chair the House Energy and Commerce Committee is intensifying as Reps. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) and Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) vie for the role, each bringing a distinct focus and style that could impact tech and energy policy in the new Congress. Both candidates aim to advance broadband access, counter China’s telecom influence, lead on AI, and support energy expansion. Latta, with seniority and expertise across subcommittees, focuses on manufacturing and autonomous vehicles, while Guthrie, known for his fundraising and strong relationships, emphasizes health, privacy, and child protection. With GOP leadership reportedly favoring Guthrie, the outcome may shape priorities that align with both tech interests and President-elect Trump’s agenda.

• Following President-elect Donald Trump’s decisive re-election victory, leaders of major tech companies quickly extended their congratulations, signaling a new phase in their relationship with the administration. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, often at odds with Trump during his first term, praised Trump’s “extraordinary political comeback” and expressed hope for collaboration. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai echoed similar sentiments, pledging support for Trump’s agenda and expressing optimism about future partnerships. Even Elon Musk, who actively supported Trump’s campaign through rallies and a super PAC, celebrated the victory on social media. The rapid outreach from tech giants suggests an effort to recalibrate their relationships with Trump as his administration takes shape once again.

National

• Nvidia has overtaken Apple as the world’s most valuable company, highlighting the rising influence of artificial intelligence in the tech sector. With a market capitalization of $3.43 trillion, Nvidia has seen its value nearly triple in 2024, fueled by explosive demand for its GPUs, the chips powering AI technologies like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Apple, which has risen over 20% this year and introduced AI-focused features on iPhones, remains in close competition but has faced delays in integrating AI broadly across its products. Nvidia's dominance reflects a shift toward AI infrastructure as tech companies race to secure the resources driving the next generation of technology.

• A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against OpenAI by news outlets Raw Story and AlterNet, which claimed that OpenAI misused their articles to train its language model, ChatGPT. Judge Colleen McMahon ruled that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate sufficient harm but allowed them to file an amended complaint, though she expressed doubt that they could prove a valid injury. Raw Story and AlterNet alleged that OpenAI used thousands of their articles without permission and removed copyright management information, yet McMahon noted that the harm claimed did not meet the threshold for this case. This dismissal is part of a broader trend of copyright owners suing AI companies over data usage for model training.

International

• The Australian government, led by Industry Minister Ed Husic, is determined to move forward with AI and social media regulations, despite anticipated resistance from the incoming Trump administration and Elon Musk’s influence on U.S. policy. Husic reassured Australians that the Albanese government would prioritize national interests, emphasizing the importance of “guardrails” for high-risk AI uses and tougher standards for social media companies to counter misinformation. While the U.S. may soon roll back some AI regulations, Australia remains committed to working with like-minded countries to ensure responsible technology use that aligns with public expectations.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

FOR FUN

• ✍️ Poetry Workshop with Gabriela Orozco, Thursday, November 14th | 6 p.m. | Penn Quarter

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