Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is calling for the federal government to use antitrust laws to break up major tech giants like Apple. In a recent interview with Fox News, Ocasio-Cortez argued that massive tech corporations are acting outside the bounds of standard corporate behavior while raising prices on consumers who are already struggling to get by.

Price Increases and Antitrust Concerns

The call for antitrust enforcement comes after Apple recently increased the cost of several signature products, including Macbooks and iPads, with some price tags jumping by as much as $500. Apple executives have defended the pricing shift as a necessity of the current tech landscape, citing the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence data centers and the resulting surge in global demand for memory and storage.

Ocasio-Cortez rejected the idea that consumers should bear the financial burden of tech infrastructure growth, stating that the development of AI data centers is being subsidized by consumers. She also criticized the broader artificial intelligence industry for its approach to human labor, arguing that executives are prioritizing automation and employment reduction.

To curb the influence of these industries, Ocasio-Cortez argued that breaking up corporate monopolies must be paired with new regulatory frameworks. She emphasized the need for consumer protections and the importance of promoting competition in the tech industry.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.