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    "original_url": "https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/09\/30\/technology\/ftc-openai-anthropic-investigation.html?emc=edit_nn_20261001&nl=the-morning&segment_id=227346",
    "parsed_content": "Artificial IntelligenceMeta\u2019s Data CentersA.I. Arms RaceWhite House A.I. EventOpenAI\u2019s SecurityTraining A.I. ModelsReader Questions, AnsweredAdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTF.T.C. Investigates OpenAI and Anthropic Over Potential Consumer HarmsThe agency will examine whether A.I. labs have broken federal laws prohibiting companies from unfair and deceptive practices.Listen \u00b7 4:37 min Share full articleThe Federal Trade Commission building in Washington. The agency is examining whether top A.I. companies have harmed consumers, a person with knowledge of the inquiry said.Credit...Al Drago for The New York TimesBy David McCabeReporting from WashingtonSept. 30, 2026Sign up for the On Tech newsletter. Get our best tech reporting from the week. Get it sent to your inbox.The Federal Trade Commission has opened a broad investigation into whether OpenAI, Anthropic and other artificial intelligence companies have hurt consumers, a person with knowledge of the inquiry said Wednesday, amid growing scrutiny of the technology\u2019s dangers.The F.T.C. will examine whether the companies have broken federal laws prohibiting companies from unfair and deceptive practices, and will probably look at potential consumer harm from rogue A.I. systems, the person said. Other violations of those laws can include abusing consumer data or misleading the public about a product\u2019s capabilities.The agency plans to send formal demands for information to the companies, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential investigation. The F.T.C. also intends to seek testimony from top executives at the companies.The F.T.C.\u2019s investigation is accelerating as A.I. developers have proved unable to stop their tools from escaping their control and hacking or meddling with other companies and even some government websites. This summer, OpenAI disclosed that its A.I. systems had hacked Hugging Face, another tech company. That revelation was followed by similar disclosures from other A.I. firms, including Anthropic.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe F.T.C. took early steps in its investigation before OpenAI\u2019s July disclosure of the Hugging Face attack, according to the person with knowledge of the inquiry.OpenAI and Anthropic did not immediately have comment. The New York Post first reported the existence of the investigation.The Trump administration has largely taken a hands-off approach to A.I., citing the need to win a race with China to dominate the technology. In recent weeks, President Trump and people close to the administration have pointed to the ability of agencies like the F.T.C. and the Department of Justice to enforce existing laws against A.I. companies in the absence of new regulations.Mr. Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform last week that he would \u201conly encourage A.I.\u201d\u201cWe will be careful, and that\u2019s why we have the Department of Justice, and other Law Enforcement bodies, that will rein things in if we have to,\u201d he said.Mr. Trump on Tuesday convened a group of A.I. executives at the White House, including OpenAI\u2019s president, Greg Brockman, and Anthropic\u2019s chief executive, Dario Amodei, to discuss the development of the technology. Andrew Ferguson, the F.T.C. chairman, also attended.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTThe meeting did not result in any movement toward new regulations. Instead, the companies signed a pledge to voluntarily put in place safety systems aimed at preventing major risks like cyberattacks and the creation of chemical weapons. They also agreed to call A.I. \u201csuper intelligence,\u201d Mr. Trump\u2019s preferred term, going forward.Under Mr. Ferguson, the F.T.C. has largely taken a less aggressive approach to regulating business while aligning itself with Mr. Trump\u2019s priorities. It has still pursued cases against large tech companies, including Meta and Amazon.Mr. Ferguson has suggested that A.I. companies should be held liable for harms caused by their products, saying at an event last week that he avoided the \u201canthropomorphizing of these tools.\u201d\u201cIf someone tells a tool to do something, and the tool does it, I don\u2019t think we would say, \u2018Oh, what do we do about the tool?,\u2019\u201d he said at the event, which was hosted by Reuters.The F.T.C. previously opened an inquiry into possible harms associated with A.I. In 2023, during the Biden administration. The commission told OpenAI that it was looking into the company\u2019s security practices and sent a 20-page demand that asked the company how it handled personal data and developed its A.I. models.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT(The New York Times has sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, accusing them of copyright infringement of news content related to A.I. systems. OpenAI and Microsoft have denied those claims.)Susan C. Beachycontributed research.AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENT",
    "published_at": "2026-09-30T15:58:41+00:00",
    "author_name": "David McCabe",
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    "ai_headline": "F.T.C. Investigates OpenAI and Anthropic Over Potential Consumer Harms",
    "ai_simplified_title": "FTC Investigates OpenAI Anthropic Over Consumer Harms 2026",
    "ai_excerpt": "The Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies regarding potential consumer harms. The inquiry will examine whether these companies have violated federal laws prohibiting unfair and deceptive practices.",
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