The FTC is examining whether AI companies may have misled consumers about the safety of their models and the risks associated with AI agents operating beyond their intended boundaries. The investigation comes amid growing scrutiny of agentic AI systems that can independently execute tasks and interact with external websites or infrastructure.
The agency, led by FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson, is expected to seek internal documents and testimony from executives at AI companies, as well as from AI research group METR. The FTC has broad powers to pursue cases involving unfair or deceptive practices, including where companies may have misrepresented the safety or capabilities of their products.
The probe could increase scrutiny of AI companies and potentially expose them to enforcement action if the FTC determines that consumers or businesses were misled about the safety or reliability of their systems. It could also add to uncertainty around the development and rollout of advanced AI products.
The investigation comes a day after US President Donald Trump met with leading AI executives, including representatives from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia and xAI. The companies agreed to a voluntary framework focused on AI safety, including internal controls, external audits and oversight mechanisms. The agreement is not legally binding.
The developments highlight a dual-track approach in the US, with AI companies committing to voluntary safety standards while regulators continue to rely on existing consumer-protection laws to examine potential harm from AI systems.
Ferguson has previously indicated that existing laws can be used to hold AI developers accountable for harm caused by their products.With Reuters inputs