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FTC investigates Google and Amazon over ad pricing transparency

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The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened probes into Google and Amazon, examining whether the tech giants misled advertisers about the terms and costs of placing ads on their platforms, according to a source familiar with the matter.

The investigations, led by the FTC’s consumer protection unit, focus on whether the companies properly disclosed pricing structures and auction practices. Regulators are scrutinizing Amazon’s use of “reserve pricing”—a minimum price advertisers must accept before buying an ad—and whether those rules were clearly communicated. Google is being investigated for whether it raised ad costs internally without disclosing the changes to advertisers.

Both companies declined to comment on the probe.

The news comes as the two firms face mounting legal challenges. On September 22, trials are set to begin in separate federal cases:

  • The FTC vs. Amazon in Seattle, alleging the company enrolled consumers into Prime without consent and made cancellations excessively difficult.

  • The DOJ vs. Google in Virginia, where regulators are seeking the breakup of its advertising technology business, after a judge ruled the company illegally monopolized digital ads.

The FTC is also pursuing a broader case accusing Amazon of holding illegal monopolies in online marketplaces.

With the U.S. already pursuing multiple landmark antitrust and consumer protection cases, the latest probe further underscores regulators’ intensified scrutiny of Big Tech’s advertising power, a market worth hundreds of billions annually.

Microsoft and OpenAI strike non-binding deal to enable restructuring

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Microsoft and OpenAI announced on Thursday that they have signed a non-binding agreement to redefine their partnership, paving the way for OpenAI to restructure into a for-profit company. The move would allow the ChatGPT creator to adopt a more conventional governance model, raise capital more freely, and potentially pursue an eventual IPO.

While details of the new commercial terms were not disclosed, both companies said they are working toward a definitive agreement. The talks mark a major shift in one of the most closely watched partnerships in the AI sector, forged to fuel the global boom in generative AI.

Microsoft has invested $11 billion in OpenAI since 2019 and until recently enjoyed exclusive rights to market OpenAI’s tools through its Azure cloud platform. But the dynamic has shifted: OpenAI has launched its own Stargate data center project, signed $300 billion in contracts with Oracle, and struck another cloud deal with Google, signaling its desire to diversify partnerships and reduce reliance on Microsoft.

For its part, Microsoft wants to preserve access to OpenAI’s technology even if OpenAI claims to reach artificial general intelligence (AGI) — a threshold that under current terms would end the partnership.

OpenAI is targeting a $500 billion valuation, with its nonprofit arm set to receive more than $100 billion, according to chairman Bret Taylor. The conversion still requires approval from attorneys general in California and Delaware, and OpenAI risks losing billions in tied funding if it fails to finalize the transition by year-end.

The evolving relationship underscores the growing competitive tension between the two. Microsoft is developing its own AI models to reduce dependency, while both companies continue to compete in enterprise tools and consumer-facing chatbots.

Senator Ted Cruz Proposes AI ‘Sandbox’ to Ease Federal Regulations

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U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on Wednesday introduced a bill that would create a regulatory “AI sandbox” allowing artificial intelligence companies to apply for temporary exemptions from certain federal rules while developing new technologies.

Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, described the proposal as a way to help U.S. firms stay competitive with China by lowering regulatory barriers. “A regulatory sandbox is not a free pass. People creating or using AI still have to follow the same laws as everyone else,” Cruz said during a subcommittee hearing.

Key Details

  • The bill would let federal agencies grant two-year exemptions to companies that apply, provided they outline safety and financial risks and how they would mitigate them.

  • The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) would be given authority to override agency denials of waivers.

  • The sandbox would apply only at the federal level — Cruz’s proposal does not preempt state-level AI regulations, despite pressure from the tech industry.

Industry Push and Opposition

Major AI developers including OpenAI, Google, and Meta have urged the Trump administration to reduce regulatory barriers. The White House OSTP has also begun seeking public input on which regulations hinder AI growth.

Consumer advocacy group Public Citizen sharply criticized Cruz’s bill, arguing it “treats Americans as test subjects” and warning against OSTP’s ability to override regulators. “The sob stories of AI companies being ‘held back’ by regulation are simply not true,” said J.B. Branch, the group’s Big Tech accountability advocate, pointing to record-high valuations of AI firms.

State-Level Rules

While Cruz’s bill avoids limiting state laws, AI regulation is already expanding at the state level:

  • California bans unauthorized political deepfakes and requires patient disclosure when AI is used in healthcare.

  • Colorado passed a law to curb AI discrimination in hiring, housing, banking, and other areas — its enforcement was pushed to mid-2026 after lobbying by the tech sector.

  • Several states have criminalized AI-generated explicit imagery without consent.

OSTP director Michael Kratsios told the committee that such state measures risk stifling innovation, suggesting Congress revisit preemption in the future.

The proposal is likely to fuel debate between those who see regulation as a barrier to U.S. innovation and those who warn of the risks of treating AI experimentation as a public trial.