FTC Reportedly Subpoenas OpenAI and Anthropic in Consumer Protection Probe
Axios reported the agency is seeking records on security incidents, safeguards, marketing and privacy policies; an FTC spokesperson confirmed the action.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has sent civil subpoenas to OpenAI and Anthropic as part of a consumer protection inquiry, Axios reported on October 15, citing a source. An FTC spokesperson later confirmed the action to CBS News, according to Engadget.
What the FTC is seeking
Per the reports, the subpoenas ask the two AI developers for:
- Documents on recent security incidents and the safeguards in place.
- Marketing materials.
- Content about their privacy policies.
Axios's source said the agency is "exploring possible consumer protection violations." According to that source, which Engadget could not independently confirm, the FTC also plans to seek testimony from top executives at both companies and to send investigative demands to third-party AI organizations later.
Company responses
Engadget's report did not include statements from either company. Other coverage said an OpenAI spokesperson told reporters the company would "engage constructively with the FTC," and that Anthropic had not commented when that report was published.
Context
The subpoenas are an information-gathering step. They do not establish that any law was broken, and the FTC has not announced any enforcement action.
The move came a day after eight state attorneys general sued OpenAI over alleged consumer protection violations related to child safety. Engadget linked the FTC action to a series of reported safety incidents involving AI agents from both companies; those descriptions come from press reports and have not been detailed publicly by the FTC.
