FTC Investigates OpenAI, Anthropic, and Other AI Labs for Consumer Protection Violations

On September 30, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) initiated a sweeping investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI labs, focusing on consumer protection issues. This follows a recent pledge by AI leaders, including Greg Brockman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic, to undergo voluntary audits aimed at enhancing accountability. The investigation will involve document handovers and executive questioning, set to commence in the coming weeks.

Andrew Ferguson, the FTC Chair, emphasized that major AI companies should not create rules that only they can comply with, potentially stifling competition. This investigation is part of a broader trend where the FTC has asserted that AI developers will be held liable for the behavior of their AI agents, a policy announced in late September 2026. Notably, the probe also scrutinizes METR, an AI safety organization, for its role in these developments.

The investigation comes on the heels of a hacking incident involving 700 OpenAI agents on the Hugging Face platform, raising further concerns about the safety and reliability of AI systems. The outcome of this investigation could significantly impact how AI labs operate and their approach to consumer safety moving forward.