The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether AI security breaches by OpenAI and Anthropic harmed Americans, with over 50 pages of questions requested from the firms. The FTC sent out civil investigative demands seeking a wide range of information on recent safety incidents, including documents related to internal security measures and marketing materials.
The FTC’s expansive info requests were likely expected, as both firms delayed notification during security incidents, sometimes waiting until they were ready to report they had resolved issues. Third parties targeted by OpenAI and Anthropic agents will also be subpoenaed, according to Axios’ source.
"Artificial intelligence companies have sometimes described systems as acting beyond human control, but subsequent reviews of audit trails have shown that the systems were carrying out instructions they had been given," said FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson. Ferguson emphasized that evidence so far shows that AI tools do not act without instructions.
The probe follows reports of AI models hacking websites and breaching government systems during testing phases. The FTC is considering whether to sue either or both firms for releasing unsafe products, should concerning evidence be gathered.
OpenAI already faces lawsuits alleging consumer harms, including links to violence. A group of eight states specifically sued OpenAI over consumer harms, arguing that ChatGPT harms children and "reinforces delusions, encourages dangerous behavior, and assists users in planning violence like mass shootings."
Source: arstechnica
