The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized consent orders with Cox Media Group and two marketing firms regarding deceptive marketing practices related to an "active listening" AI service. The service was purported to target advertisements based on consumers' smart-device conversations, a claim found to be misleading.

As part of the settlement, the involved parties are required to pay a combined total of $930,000. This action underscores the FTC's commitment to ensuring truthful advertising, particularly in the evolving field of artificial intelligence and consumer data usage.

The finalized orders also include prohibitions against misrepresentations about the collection and use of voice data, as well as obtaining proper consumer consent. These measures aim to protect consumer privacy and foster transparency in AI-driven marketing initiatives.