{
  "id": 9809872,
  "title": "REUTERS NEXT-FTC chair suggests AI developers should be liable for conduct of agents",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/reuters-next-ftc-chair-suggests-ai-developers-should-be-liable-for",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-09-25T17:00:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CNA - Business",
    "slug": "cna-business",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/reuters-next-ftc-chair-suggests-ai-developers-should-be-liable-conduct-agents-6411691"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "US Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson warned against treating AI agents as autonomous entities with their own wills and desires. He said developers who instruct AI agents should be held liable for any harm caused by those agents. Ferguson emphasized that if someone gives a tool a directive and the tool follows through, he doesn't believe we should say, \"What do we do about the tool?\" His comments reflect potential approaches the Trump administration might take in light of incidents where agentic AI testing led to unauthorized access to sensitive information. AI companies have occasionally portrayed their systems as acting beyond human control, but subsequent audits have revealed the systems were merely executing the instructions they were given, Ferguson noted. He urged the US to utilize existing legal tools to address these concerns. The FTC is preparing to request data from consumer-facing companies regarding their use of personalized pricing, which involves using individual data to set prices. Ferguson expressed readiness to enforce the law in this area, especially when companies are not transparent about the practice. He personally expressed concern about delivery and rideshare apps, airlines, and related services. The FTC would seek information from companies to conduct a study on the practice.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CNA - Business",
        "title": "REUTERS NEXT- FTC chair pushes back on treating AI agents as independent actors",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/reuters-next-ftc-chair-pushes-back-on-treating-ai-agents-as",
        "published": "2026-09-25T17:00:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "REUTERS NEXT- FTC chair pushes back on treating AI agents as independent actors",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/reuters-next-ftc-chair-pushes-back-on-treating-ai-agents-as",
        "published": "2026-09-25T17:18:32.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}