The US Federal Trade Commission has sent civil subpoenas to OpenAI and Anthropic as part of a probe into possible consumer protection violations, Axios reported on October 15, citing a person familiar with the matter. The FTC confirmed the action to CBS News.
Each demand runs more than 50 pages and asks for documents on security incidents and safeguarding practices, as well as marketing materials and privacy policies. The agency plans to compel top AI executives to testify about their products, and demands to other AI firms are expected to follow later.
OpenAI said it will "engage constructively with the FTC." The move follows Reuters reporting last month that the FTC planned an industry-wide investigation of AI companies, and echoes the agency's 2023 probe of ChatGPT over consumer harms.