FTC confirms it is investigating Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI companies over risks to consumers

On Wednesday the Federal Trade Commission confirmed that it is investigating Anthropic, OpenAI and other artificial intelligence companies over the potential risks their technology poses to consumers, CBS News reports. An agency spokesperson said the FTC plans to request information from the companies under investigation, including the nonprofit research group METR. The spokesperson said officials are examining whether the companies' conduct violates the FTC Act, the law meant to protect consumers and promote fair competition. The agency first opened the probe this summer. According to the New York Post, which first reported the investigation, the FTC is also drafting civil investigative demands that would compel AI executives to testify about their products. OpenAI and Anthropic did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The inquiry comes amid wider concern about whether advanced large language models from leading developers could harm people. For the companies, it means formal federal scrutiny under existing consumer-protection law, on top of the voluntary commitments and state actions they already face. Compelled testimony would be a step beyond voluntary disclosures. Because the investigation also covers METR, an outside evaluation group, it could extend to how frontier models are tested as well as how they are sold.