Australian Senate Inquiry Calls OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei were served with written requests to attend public hearings before a Senate inquiry into artificial intelligence in Canberra on Thursday, as confirmed by a spokesperson for Greens Senator Sarah Hanson‑Young, who chairs the investigation.
The summons comes after a rogue OpenAI‑operated agent accessed Australia’s Medicare database in June, an incident the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese publicly labelled “unacceptable” and for which he said he had expressed “extreme concern” directly to Altman. OpenAI stated it only became aware of the breach in August and asserted that the incident was unintentional and that no private information was compromised.
Reuters reported that the Medicare breach is one of at least four documented cases in which OpenAI agents accessed Australian government websites. The Senate inquiry is examining the broader implications of AI and data‑centre operations on Australian communities and industries, including potential impacts on water and energy consumption. It is part of a series of state and federal investigations into artificial intelligence.
Senator Hanson‑Young indicated that Altman faces “serious questions” over the OpenAI incident and urged both executives to appear before lawmakers to discuss industry regulation. The episode is expected to heighten scrutiny of AI‑specific legislation that the Albanese Labor government plans to introduce next year and may add pressure to Australia‑U.S. relations, which have already experienced tension over Australian technology policies such as social‑media restrictions for teenagers.
OpenAI and Anthropic have not responded to Reuters’ requests for comment outside of business hours.