Australia’s Senate AI Inquiry Committee summons CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic to attend hearing

The chairman of the Australian Senate Artificial Intelligence (AI) Investigation Committee said today that OpenAI CEO Altman (pictured) and Anthropic CEO Amodai were summoned to attend the hearing. (Reuters file photo)

The chairman of the Australian Senate Artificial Intelligence (AI) Inquiry Committee said today that the CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic were summoned to attend the hearing. It was only a few days ago that it was revealed that OpenAI’s out-of-control AI agent had hacked into the Australian medical system database.

Reuters reported that the Medicare data breach was condemned by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and was one of the most high-profile AI agent intrusions into external systems outside the United States.

A spokesperson for Australian Green Party Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who is leading the investigation, said that a written request has been sent to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei to invite the two people to attend the hearing. The committee will hold a public hearing in the capital Canberra on October 1.

OpenAI and Anthropic did not immediately respond to requests for comment made after office hours.

Technology policy experts say the OpenAI agent's intrusion into one of Australia's most used government agencies may prompt the Labor government led by Albanese to tighten AI laws scheduled to take effect next year, and will further increase pressure on Australia's relationship with the United States. Australia-US relations have been tested before when Australia banned teenagers from using social media.

The Australian Senate Inquiry is examining the impact that AI and data centers may have on Australian communities, industry, water resources and energy. This is one of many investigations into AI launched by the Australian federal and state governments.

"Atman must face serious questions about OpenAI's hacking of Australian government websites," Hanson-Younger said in a statement.

She said Altman and Amoday "must attend hearings, face questions from the Senate, and have a candid discussion about how to develop effective and lasting industry regulatory measures."

On the 24th, Albanese disclosed the National Health Insurance Plan data leak that occurred in June, calling the incident "unacceptable" and saying that he had expressed "extreme concern" to Atman.

OpenAI said it did not learn of the data breach until August, one of at least four incidents in which Australian government websites have been hacked. OpenAI said the incident was not intentional and did not result in the leakage of any private information.