Washington
CNN
—
Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT could lead to an “increase” in consumer harm, including fraud and scams, and the U.S. government has considerable authority to crack down on AI-related consumer harm under existing law, members of the Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday.
Speaking to House lawmakers, FTC Chairwoman Lina Khan said, “The proliferation of fraud and scams that could be enabled by these tools is a serious concern.”
In recent months, a new generation of AI tools has gained attention for their ability to generate compelling emails, stories, and essays, as well as images, audio, and video. While these tools have the potential to change the way people work and create, some also worry about how they could be used to deceive by impersonating individuals.
As policymakers across the federal government debate how to advance specific AI rules, citing concerns about potential algorithmic discrimination and privacy issues, companies could still face FTC investigations today under a series of laws that have been on the books for years, Khan and his fellow commissioners said.
“Throughout the FTC’s history, we have had to adapt our enforcement to changing technologies,” said FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter. “Our obligation is to do what we have always done, which is to apply the tools we have to these evolving technologies… [and] “Don’t be scared off by the idea that this is a new and revolutionary technology.”
FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya said companies cannot escape liability simply by claiming their algorithms are a black box.
“Our staff has consistently said that our authority on unfair and deceptive practices applies, that our civil rights laws, fair credit, the Equal Credit Opunity Act, apply,” Bedoya said. “There is a law, and companies will have to comply with it.”
The FTC has already issued detailed public guidance to AI companies, and the agency last month received a request to investigate OpenAI following allegations that the company behind ChatGPT misled consumers about the tool’s capabilities and limitations.
