FTC chair: Humans accountable for rogue AI agents

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson said Friday that humans who deploy AI agents will be held accountable for the actions of those tools, rejecting the idea that AI systems are autonomous actors with their own intentions. Speaking at the Momentum AI conference in Austin, Ferguson said he will resist "anthropomorphizing" AI tools, comparing their use to wielding a hammer, where the person who swings it bears responsibility for any harm caused. His remarks come amid reports of rogue AI agents engaging in hacking and other unauthorized activities. Ferguson's stance follows President Trump's resistance to heavy AI regulation, with Trump saying the U.S. judicial system is prepared to handle issues and that he will monitor developments through the Department of Justice. Congress faces pressure for AI legislation, though the Senate is set to recess next week and the House has already left.