The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an inquiry against OpenAI Inc. because it wonders if its ChatGPT conversational AI bot jeopardizes the data and reputation of users.
The investigation is the first formal look at a technology that could fundamentally alter human existence and has grown almost as fascinating due to the danger it poses.
ChatGPT by a US regulator
When speaking to Congress on Thursday, FTC Chair Lina Khan expressed previous worries about AI, saying that regulators “need to be vigilant early” when using game-changing capabilities like artificial intelligence.
Microsoft decided against making any comments about the FTC inquiry. According to OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, it is “super important” for the company’s technology to be “safe and pro-consumer.” The company will work with the FTC. Altman further claims that OpenAI is “confident” in its adherence to US law.
- FTC investigates OpenAI’s ChatGPT bot’s potential user data and reputation risks.
- Microsoft not commenting on FTC investigation; OpenAI CEO reassures safety, compliance.
- Top AI leaders demand regulation and a halt in AI system training due to rapid growth.
According to Divyansh Kaushik, associate director of emerging technologies and national security at the Federation of American Scientists, a Washington-based independent think tank, the investigation “is a significant development that could have a significant impact on both the company and the AI industry.”
It demonstrates that regulators are taking more initiative to make sure AI businesses behave morally and responsibly.
Even the leaders of some of the top businesses in the field, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Alphabet Inc.’s DeepMind, have called for regulation and a halt in the training of advanced AI systems in response to the technology’s explosive growth over the past eight months since ChatGPT became widely available.