WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating OpenAI, Anthropic and other artificial intelligence companies over potential risks to consumers, the agency confirmed Wednesday.
An FTC spokesperson confirmed the investigation to The Associated Press but declined to discuss its scope. The inquiry follows disclosures of AI systems acting beyond human instructions and accessing external websites without authorization.
The agency plans to demand documents and compel executive testimony, a senior FTC official told Reuters. The inquiry also includes METR, a research organization that OpenAI and Anthropic have used to investigate security incidents involving their AI agents.
The companies and METR did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
AI agents can use software tools and carry out tasks with limited human supervision. Investigators are examining the risks those capabilities present when systems operate outside their intended boundaries.
In July, Hugging Face disclosed an intrusion into its infrastructure that it said an autonomous AI agent system carried out. The company reported unauthorized access to some internal datasets and service credentials. It said it found no evidence that attackers had altered public models, datasets or software packages.
The FTC has previously examined other parts of the AI industry. In January 2024, it ordered Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, Anthropic and Google to provide information about their investments and partnerships. That inquiry focused on how those arrangements could affect competition.
In September 2025, the agency launched a separate inquiry into chatbots designed to act as companions. It sought information about safety testing, disclosures and safeguards for children and teenagers, including how companies assess the risks of users forming relationships with their products.
