Cybersecurity Policy Report, Draft Senate Bill Would Place FTC in Charge of Agentic AI Privacy, Security, (Jun 30, 2026)
The Federal Trade Commission would be responsible for ensuring that AI (artificial intelligence) agents don’t endanger their users’ security or privacy under draft legislation unveiled yesterday by Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.).
“An artificial intelligence (AI) agent is a system that can perceive its environment, make decisions, and take actions autonomously or according to preestablished rules in pursuit of a defined goal,” Sen. Warner explained in a news release.
“As AI agents become more integrated into consumers’ digital lives, they will increasingly act as intermediaries between users and the online services they rely on,” he noted.
His draft bill, the Artificial Intelligence Access, Gatekeeper Exchange, and Nondiscriminatory Transfer (AI AGENT) Act, would require AI agents to “protect users’ privacy and user data and act transparently in a user’s best interest and in a manner that makes clear to third-party websites and online service providers that an AI agent has valid authorization,” he said.
It would require the FTC to maintain a registry of “custodial user agents” (CUAs) and ensure that the “process through which a CUA gains access to large online platforms is secure, properly authenticated, and allows for an individual to revoke CUA authorization and to communicate that revocation to a large online platform provider,” according to a summary.
“Only CUAs registered with the FTC shall be able to access large online platforms to carry out actions as authorized by an individual—ensuring against malicious apps masquerading as user-empowering software,” the summary says.
The draft legislation also seeks to ensure that agentic AI and online platforms remain competitive. “A large online platform provider shall allow third-party CUAs access on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms and maintain an interface that facilitates that access,” the summary says.
“As agentic AI transforms how Americans interact with technology, consumers deserve a real choice in the marketplace—and AI agents must be accountable to the people they serve,” Sen. Warner said.
“This discussion draft is a major step toward building a clear federal framework that promotes innovation, protects consumers, and ensures the United States continues to lead the world in emerging technology. I am releasing this draft to hear from stakeholders, experts, and the public so we can strengthen the legislation before it is formally introduced,” he added.
Feedback on the draft bill can be submitted here.
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