FTC seeks public comment on proposed AI “accuracy suppression” policy

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a proposed policy statement on how the FTC Act’s ban on deceptive acts or practices may apply to companies that market artificial intelligence. The proposal focuses on what the FTC describes as “suppression of accuracy”—situations where an AI system’s outputs may appear accurate, but are altered or steered in ways consumers don’t reasonably expect.

What the FTC published

In a Federal Register notice, the FTC says it is proposing a policy statement (File No. P264200) and inviting public comment. The agency also points readers to the Federal Register–linked process for submitting comments.

What “accuracy suppression” is meant to capture

The FTC’s core concern is the gap between:

• What consumers are led to reasonably expect—for example, that an AI system will aim to provide truthful, accurate outputs tied to the user’s goals; and
• What the system is actually designed or optimized to do—including any altered, steered, or distorted behavior driven by undisclosed objectives.

How that can become “deception” under the FTC Act

In the FTC’s framing, deception risk can arise when marketing and user-facing messaging present the system as objective or accuracy-focused, but the system’s real behavior steers results in ways consumers wouldn’t anticipate. The FTC is asking commenters to weigh how that mismatch should be interpreted under the FTC Act’s deception standard.

Who should pay attention

This proposed guidance is most relevant to:

• AI developers and model providers selling systems used in consumer-facing products, and
• Companies that deploy AI in tools marketed for advice, decision support, or “accuracy” or objectivity-oriented uses.

In practice, the proposal is a reminder that what consumers reasonably expect—based on marketing and disclosures—can matter as much as the fact that an output may look accurate in isolation.

Comment deadline and what happens next

The FTC is accepting comments until July 31, 2026. Comments are submitted via the official process referenced in the Federal Register notice (through the Regulations.gov docket listed there). After the comment period closes, the FTC can review input and decide whether to finalize or revise its approach.

Sources

• Federal Register notice (FTC) — “Policy Statement Concerning the Suppression of Accuracy in Artificial Intelligence Systems” (File No. P264200; 2026-13628)
• FederalRegister.gov — Document 2026-13628 (91 FR 41638)
• FTC press release — “FTC Seeks Public Comment on Policy Statement Addressing AI Accuracy” (July 2026)