CNBC Television·2025-09-11 17:01Regulatory Scrutiny - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is launching an inquiry into AI chatbot companions, focusing on their potential negative impacts [1] - The FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection is leading the investigation [2] - The inquiry is particularly concerned with the impact of chatbots on children and teens [3] - The FTC is interested in actions companies are taking to mitigate potential negative impacts or restrict children and teens' use of these platforms [3] Companies Involved - Seven companies are being asked to provide information: Alphabet, Character Technologies, Instagram, Meta, Open AI, Snap, and XAI [2] Legal Context - The inquiry follows a high-profile case in California where parents are suing Open AI, alleging that ChatGPT acted as a "suicide coach" [3]