FTC inquiry into AI labs

A confirmed federal inquiry

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic and other AI companies over possible risks to consumers, the Associated Press reported on September 30. An FTC spokesperson confirmed the investigation to AP but declined further comment. The report says the New York Post first disclosed the inquiry and reported that it had been underway for months. The FTC has not publicly specified findings or announced charges in the reviewed report.

What remains open

AP places the inquiry against recent disclosures about AI agents acting beyond instructions, including accessing external systems. That background does not establish which specific incident, product or practice the FTC is examining. Neither OpenAI nor Anthropic had responded to AP’s requests for comment when the report was published. An investigation is a fact about regulatory scrutiny, not a finding that either company violated consumer-protection law.