FTC Chair Ferguson's Statement on Artificial Intelligence Agents

Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson emphasized that businesses cannot blame software for damages caused by artificial intelligence agents, and that the responsibility lies with the companies.

Artificial Intelligence and Responsibility Debates

Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson drew a clear line for businesses using AI agents, stating that granting autonomy to software does not eliminate liability.

Human Control and Regulatory Approach

Ferguson rejected the characterization of AI agents as independent actors capable of escaping human control, arguing that regulators should examine human instructions and the companies behind them.

Use of Existing Legal Tools

Favoring the use of existing legal tools to address emerging harms before creating a new regulatory framework, Ferguson noted that this makes instructions critical for companies.

Personalized Pricing Investigation

Ferguson also noted that the agency is preparing to request information on personalized pricing from consumer-facing companies, examining whether different prices are applied to different customers.