FTC launches probe into OpenAI, Anthropic over ‘rogue’ AI agents as concerns grow over safety

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an industry-wide investigation into leading artificial intelligence companies including OpenAI and Anthropic, amid growing concerns about the potential risks posed by increasingly autonomous AI agents.

A senior FTC official told Reuters on Wednesday (September 30) that the agency plans to issue formal demands for information and compel testimony from executives at major AI developers, including OpenAI, Anthropic and AI research group METR. The investigation is examining the potential dangers the companies’ technology could pose to consumers.