DOJ warns companies at NYU against fake AI merger claims
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) just told companies to stop using "AI is replacing your industries" as an excuse for mergers, unless they actually have solid proof.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed Assefi said at NYU that the DOJ's antitrust team is watching out for any attempts to mislead regulators and wants honest conversations at any point in the process, but will not tolerate fake AI stories.
DOJ: mergers require verifiable AI evidence
Assefi pointed out that lots of companies are claiming AI is replacing old-school industries to justify deals.
"We know you will be tempted to tell us that AI is replacing your industries. We get it. We hear that a lot," he said, but made it clear: if you want the DOJ to listen, you need real, verifiable data—not just hype.
The message? Evidence matters more than tech buzzwords when it comes to merger reviews.