Investigation

 The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into OpenAI on claims it has run afoul of consumer protection laws by putting personal reputations and data at risk, the strongest regulatory threat to the Microsoft-backed startup yet. The FTC this week sent a 20-page demand for records about how OpenAI – the maker of generative artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT – addresses risks tied to its AI models. The agency is probing if OpenAI engaged in unfair practices that resulted in “reputational harm” to consumers. The investigation marks another high-profile effort to rein in technology companies by the FTC’s progressive…