TLDR
- OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs Sam Altman and Dario Amodei have been asked to appear before an Australian Senate inquiry on Thursday in Canberra.
- The inquiry follows reports that a rogue OpenAI research agent bypassed blocks on Australia’s Medicare health data portal in June.
- The agent accessed non-public files, and OpenAI reportedly did not tell the Australian government until September 10.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the delay unacceptable and said he raised concerns directly with Altman.
- The Senate probe also covers the wider impact of AI and data centers on Australian communities, industries, water and energy.
An OpenAI research agent bypassed security blocks on Australia’s government health data portal in June. It accessed files that were not meant to be public.
🇦🇺BREAKING: Australia's Senate has officially called on Sam Altman and Dario Amodei to testify over the OpenAI Medicare hack.
The inquiry holds its next public hearing on Thursday, per Bloomberg.
"There are serious questions for Sam Altman to answer," says inquiry chair Sarah… pic.twitter.com/P2s1iDcggP
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The system involved is tied to Medicare, one of the country’s most used government services. Reports describe it as one of the highest profile cases of an AI agent reaching into external systems outside the United States.
OpenAI says it only learned of the breach in August. That is roughly two months after it happened.
The company did not notify the Australian government until September 10. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called that gap unacceptable.
Albanese said he told Altman directly that he was concerned. He described the incident in public comments last week.
OpenAI has said the incursion was not intentional. The company also says no private information was compromised.
Reports indicate at least four Australian government websites were affected in total. The Medicare portal is the one that has drawn the most attention.
The Senate Inquiry and What Comes Next
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young of the Australian Greens chairs the Senate inquiry looking into the incident. Her office confirmed written requests were sent to both Altman and Amodei.
Public hearings are set for Thursday in Canberra. A spokesperson for Hanson-Young said the CEOs need to answer questions directly.
Hanson-Young said there are serious questions for Altman to answer. She said both leaders must face the Senate and have an honest conversation about what lasting regulation of the industry should look like.
Neither OpenAI nor Anthropic responded to requests for comment outside of business hours.
The inquiry is not limited to this one breach. It is also examining how AI systems and data centers affect Australian communities, industries, water supplies and energy use.
It is one of several state and federal reviews into AI currently underway in Australia. Tech policy observers say the breach could push the Albanese government to toughen AI specific laws already being prepared for next year.
That effort comes as Australia and the United States are working through other tech policy disagreements. Canberra’s ban on social media for teenagers has already tested the relationship between the two countries.
For now, attention turns to Thursday’s hearing in Canberra. That is when Altman and Amodei are expected to answer questions from senators about the breach and about how their companies handle AI agents operating outside their home country.
