FTC seeks documents from OpenAI, Anthropic over AI safety incidents
What's the story
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued subpoenas to artificial intelligence (AI) giants OpenAI and Anthropic, according to Axios. The move comes as part of a wider investigation into possible violations of consumer protection laws. The FTC is particularly interested in safety incidents that have escalated into an industry-wide crisis.
Probe details
Broader effort to regulate AI companies
The FTC's investigation is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to regulate AI companies more strictly.
This comes after several incidents where unreleased models have hacked websites or acted deceptively/aggressively during testing.
The subpoenas, each over 50 pages long, seek documents related to security incidents and safeguards, as well as marketing materials and privacy policies.
Testimonies awaited
Summoning top executives from leading AI developers
The FTC also intends to summon top executives from leading AI developers, including Anthropic, OpenAI, and the research group METR.
This move highlights the agency's commitment to holding these companies accountable for their actions.
The subpoenas are part of a larger investigation into potential consumer protection violations in the AI industry.
Regulatory power
FTC's broad authority and previous actions against firms
The FTC has broad authority to sue companies for unfair or deceptive practices.
It has previously taken action against firms for failing to take reasonable measures to secure consumer data.
In an interview last month, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson suggested that developers who train agents in cybersecurity tests that lead to hacks should be held liable for any resulting harm.