US watchdog to investigate AI labs for potential consumer harms

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to investigate major AI labs, including OpenAI and Anthropic, for potential consumer harms, marking the first major US regulatory action in response to AI incidents and warnings about technology's risks. This probe, announced the day after top tech leaders signed a self-regulatory AI accord at the White House, could lead to tech CEOs testifying before Congress.

The move is driven by a safety debate fueled by rivalry between leading AI lab heads, Anthropic's Dario Amodei and OpenAI's Sam Altman, who have clashed over safety protocols. Amodei has publicly criticized Altman, calling him "evil," while some at OpenAI view Amodei as a "power-hungry virtue-signaler," according to tech journalist Kevin Roose.

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