OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs Called to Australian AI Probe
The OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs have been asked to appear before an Australian Senate inquiry examining artificial intelligence, days after the disclosure of an OpenAI bot’s breach of a government health-system database.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei received written requests to appear at public hearings scheduled in Canberra on Thursday, according to a spokesperson for Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, chair of the inquiry.
The hearing comes after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the Medicare incident and said he had raised concerns directly with Altman.
The Australian AI probe is examining the potential effects of artificial intelligence and data centres on Australian communities, industries, water resources and energy use. It is one of several state and federal investigations currently examining AI-related issues.
The request for the two executives follows the disclosure of the Medicare breach, which has become one of the most prominent cases involving an AI agent accessing an external system outside the United States.
Hanson-Young said there were serious questions for Altman over the incident and called on both executives to appear before the Senate and discuss regulation of the industry.
OpenAI and Anthropic had not immediately responded to requests for comment outside business hours, according to Reuters.
The Medicare breach has increased attention on how AI agents interact with external computer systems. Albanese described the incident as unacceptable and said he had expressed strong concern to Altman.
OpenAI said it only learned about the breach in August. The company said the incident was not intentional and that no private information had been compromised.
Reuters reported that the OpenAI incident was one of at least four breaches involving Australian government websites. The developments could add pressure on the Australian government as it prepares AI-specific legislation for next year.
The requested appearance by the OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs will give the Australian AI probe an opportunity to question the companies directly about AI safety, external system access and possible regulation.
The inquiry is also expected to examine broader questions surrounding the impact of AI infrastructure, including data centres and their use of water and energy.
The issue could have wider implications for Australia-US relations, which have already faced disagreements over technology policy. For now, the Senate hearings will provide the next formal forum for Australian lawmakers to examine the responsibilities of AI companies and the regulatory framework being considered for the sector.
