In response to the investigation, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed disappointment over the leak of the FTC's request but affirmed the company's commitment to safety, pro-consumer technology, and legal compliance. OpenAI, which introduced the first publicly available version of ChatGPT in November 2022, is also facing legal challenges including a defamation lawsuit by a talk show host and a lawsuit alleging illegal use of copyrighted works, on which the company has not commented.
Key takeaways:
- The FTC is investigating OpenAI, the developer of the AI chatbot ChatGPT, for potential unfair or deceptive privacy or data security practices and risks of harm to consumers.
- The investigation was first reported by the Washington Post, and the FTC's information requests date from June 1, 2020, until the date of full compliance with the investigation.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed disappointment over the FTC's request starting with a leak but assured that they are committed to ensuring their technology is safe and pro-consumer, and that they follow the law.
- OpenAI is also facing other legal challenges, including a defamation lawsuit filed by a talk show host and a lawsuit alleging illegal use of copyrighted works in their large language model.