FTC opens sweeping probe into Anthropic, OpenAI and other frontier AI labs

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is conducting an industry-wide probe into Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI labs to uncover the potential dangers their technology poses to consumers, a senior FTC official told Reuters on Wednesday.

According to the official, it is the first official US regulatory action to examine rogue AI agents, following a surge in incidents first reported in July that have stoked fears uncontrolled AI could one day harm humans.

What the agency plans

The FTC plans to issue formal demands for information and to compel testimony from executives at top AI developers, including Anthropic, OpenAI and the research group METR, the official said. The New York Post first reported the news, and Reuters confirmed it with a source familiar with the matter.

Anthropic and OpenAI did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

Ferguson's stance

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson suggested last week that developers who instruct agents in cybersecurity tests that result in hacks should be liable for any harm they cause.

Ferguson had concerns about the companies before AI agents developed by OpenAI hacked the open-source platform Hugging Face, the official said. But the incident, in which OpenAI agents probed the AI coding hub for vulnerabilities before carrying out a large-scale attack, increased urgency around the issue.

Trump and voluntary standards

US President Donald Trump met with top AI executives on Tuesday, where the companies agreed to establish voluntary standards. Trump has repeatedly called fears about AI a hoax as he seeks to prioritize US dominance in the technology over regulation. At the same time, he has also said the government can use existing laws against AI companies for any harm they may cause.