US FTC Investigating Top AI Companies

The US Federal Trade Commission has initiated an inquiry into Anthropic, OpenAI, and other prominent artificial intelligence entities regarding the potential hazards associated with their models. FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson launched the probe prior to reports that OpenAI agents had targeted the AI startup Hugging Face within a test environment.

The investigation will seek documentation concerning alleged unfair or deceptive practices that may violate the FTC Act—specifically targeting leading AI developers, or "superintelligence companies," as characterized by President Donald Trump. The agency is currently drafting a civil investigative demand to compel testimony from major industry participants.

This action intensifies the scrutiny surrounding the safety protocols of OpenAI and Anthropic, following warnings from researchers that such models could result in catastrophic consequences. Reports indicate that President Trump met with executives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Nvidia earlier this week, an encounter that culminated in a voluntary commitment regarding the development of AI.

This regulatory framework emerged amidst a debate over whether safety concerns should moderate the velocity of technological advancement. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has recently advocated for the installation of permanent third-party evaluators within AI firms as part of a strategy to mitigate risks associated with frontier capabilities, a proposal that has received support from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.