Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

What it does

Competition and consumer protection regulator. Relevant to AI through foundation-model market studies, merger review of AI partnerships and acqui-hires, and the digital markets competition regime (Strategic Market Status designations under the DMCC Act, which allow the CMA to impose conduct requirements and pro-competition interventions on designated firms). Can compel information, conduct market investigations, block or unwind mergers, impose conduct requirements, and fine up to 10% of global turnover — and under the DMCC regime the CMA can now enforce consumer law directly with fines rather than going to court.

Its powers

fine

Honest assessment

The CMA's foundation-model market study was unusually open: it published a call for evidence, set up a dedicated study mailbox, met respondents, and quoted submissions in its update reports. That per-study mailbox — not general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk — is where input lands. The general enquiries address is a correspondence unit. The CMA's AI framing is market power and consumer harm, with an explicit concern about concentration in compute and model supply; it has occasionally touched on safety as a competition concern (whether incumbents can be disciplined) but does not regulate model risk. FOI to the CMA is underused and productive.

Notes

The DMCC regime materially expanded CMA powers; SMS designations are the mechanism to watch for AI-market intervention.