Research note
Research note: FTC sends OpenAI and Anthropic 50-page demands for records on AI safety and security incidents, Axios reports
How we checked the report that the FTC sent civil investigative demands to OpenAI and Anthropic, and what was already confirmed about the probe.
What we set out to check
Whether the FTC sent civil investigative demands, to whom, what they ask for, and how the companies responded.
What we found
- Axios is the only outlet we found that reports the demands themselves. Other coverage repeats Axios.
- The underlying probe was confirmed by an FTC spokesperson in September, as reported by The Next Web citing CBS News.
- OpenAI gave Axios a statement; Anthropic did not appear in the report.
Numbers that differ
None.
Labels we chose and why
- Unconfirmed for the demands and their contents, because only Axios reports them and the FTC has not published them.
- Reported for the existence of the probe, confirmed by an FTC spokesperson to outlets.
- Company claim for OpenAI’s statement.
What we could not verify
- The text of the demands.
- Any FTC statement on them.
What we searched
- FTC civil investigative demands OpenAI Anthropic
- FTC probe AI labs September 2026
- FTC Ferguson AI safety investigation
Every source we read
| Source | Used? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Axios | USED | The only report of the demands, with OpenAI’s statement. |
| The Next Web | USED | September report of the FTC probe, citing an FTC spokesperson. |
| Open Class Actions | NOT USED | Secondary summary. |