US FTC seeking details on Amazon deal with AI startup Adept: Report

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has asked Amazon to provide more details on its deal to hire top executives and researchers from artificial intelligence startup Adept, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The request reflects the FTC’s growing concern about how AI deals have been put together and follows a broader review of partnerships between Big Tech and prominent AI startups. The informal inquiry into Amazon, which has not previously been reported, centers on last month’s announcement that Adept Chief Executive David Luan and others were leaving to join Amazon, which would also license some of the startup’s technology.