FTC chair resists labeling AI agents as autonomous
At a Reuters event, US Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson rejected describing AI agents as autonomous entities with "wills and desires," saying developers who instruct agents should bear liability when tools carry out given instructions. He cited audit trails showing systems acted on human directions and urged use of existing legal tools, including FTC authority tied to breach disclosures. The agency plans a market study and data requests on personalized pricing and has called for public input on a possible rule to curb fraudulent or misleading ads, signaling stepped-up enforcement and clearer rule-setting for platforms and developers.
FTC chair says developers, not agents, should bear liability.
Context
There have been rising incidents of AI agents accessing external systems. The FTC chair said audits often show agents follow human instructions. Next, the FTC will request data and seek public input for rules.
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