The US Federal Trade Commission has opened simultaneous product-safety investigations into OpenAI and Anthropic, the makers of ChatGPT and Claude, reports said on October 1.

The probes focus on how the companies' AI products handle safety risks, including concerns around chatbots aimed at children and vulnerable users.

Regulators in the US have been stepping up scrutiny of generative AI, examining issues ranging from data privacy to the mental health impact of companion chatbots.

The investigations are at an early stage, and neither company has been accused of wrongdoing. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have previously said they invest heavily in safety testing.

The move signals that AI oversight is entering a new phase, with regulators treating AI products more like consumer products that must meet safety standards.

Consumer advocates have welcomed the probes, saying AI products used by millions of children deserve the same safety scrutiny as other consumer goods. The companies are expected to cooperate with the regulator as the investigations proceed.