US Federal Trade Commission Subpoenas OpenAI and Anthropic in Consumer Protection Probe
The Federal Trade Commission has issued civil subpoenas to OpenAI and Anthropic in a consumer protection investigation, requesting internal records on safety incidents, marketing, and privacy.
The US Federal Trade Commission has issued civil subpoenas to OpenAI and Anthropic as part of a consumer protection investigation, an FTC spokesperson confirmed to CBS News.
The source explained that the move expands an investigation opened by the commission this summer, and that the orders request internal records related to past safety incidents, protection safeguards, and marketing and privacy policies.
CBS reported that the commission intends to request testimony from executives at both companies and may subpoena third parties in later stages of the investigation.
Axios was the first to report the news of the orders, which represent growing regulatory pressure on the world's two largest artificial intelligence companies amid concerns over the impact of their models on users.
What do these terms mean?
Civil Subpoena: A formal, binding request from a regulatory body requiring a company to hand over documents or information during an administrative, non-criminal investigation.
Consumer Protection: The set of laws that prevent companies from engaging in deceptive or unsafe practices against users.
Executive Testimony: Statements provided by company executives before the commission, a step that escalates the intensity of the investigation.
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