FTC opens probe into AI giants including Anthropic and OpenAI

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September 30, 2026 9:53 AM EDT

FILE PHOTO: OpenAI and Anthropic logos are seen in this illustration taken June 11, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//File Photo

By Jody Godoy

Sept 30 (Reuters) - ‌The Federal ​Trade Commission ​is conducting an industry-wide probe into Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI labs to uncover the potential dangers their ‌technology poses to consumers, a senior FTC official told Reuters ⁠on Wednesday.

The probe is the first official US regulatory action delving into rogue ‌AI agents amid a surge ‌in incidents first reported in July that have stoked fears uncontrolled AI could one day harm humans.

The FTC plans to issue ​formal demands for information and compel testimony from executives at top AI developers, including Anthropic, OpenAI and the research group ⁠METR, the official said.

FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson suggested last week that developers who instruct agents ​in cyberscurity tests that result in hacks should be liable for any harm they cause.

Anthropic and OpenAI did ​not immediately respond to Reuters' requests ‌for comment. The New York Post first reported the news.

Ferguson had concerns about the companies before AI ⁠agents developed by OpenAI hacked the open-source platform Hugging Face, the official said.

But the incident in which OpenAI agents had probed the AI coding ⁠hub for vulnerabilities before carrying out a large-scale attack increased urgency around the issue, ​the official said.

US President Donald Trump met with top AI executives on Tuesday, where the companies agreed to establish voluntary standards.

Trump has repeatedly called fears about ‌AI a hoax as he seeks to prioritize US dominance in the technology over regulation. At ‌the same time, he has also said the government can use existing ⁠laws against AI companies for ‌any harm they ​may cause.

(Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and ‌Chizu Nomiyama)


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