FTC Chairman Rejects AI Autonomy Claims in Austin

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson rejected the characterization of AI agents as autonomous actors with independent wills and desires during the Reuters Momentum AI event in Austin on September 25.

Ferguson argued against the anthropomorphizing of AI tools, noting that while AI companies often describe their systems as acting beyond human control, audit trail reviews typically show these systems are merely executing provided instructions. He stated that he intends to resist the trend of treating these tools as if they possess human-like agency as long as he serves as chairman.