Australia summons OpenAI and Anthropic CEOs to appear at AI inquiry

What the report says

Australia has requested that OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei appear before a Senate inquiry into artificial intelligence, according to Al Jazeera, with public hearings scheduled in Canberra on Thursday. The invitation comes after renewed scrutiny of AI systems and their interaction with government services.

The inquiry is examining possible effects of AI and data centres on safety, data transparency, Australian communities, industry, water use and energy. Al Jazeera reported that a spokesperson for Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the companies should answer questions about what happened and what stronger, lasting regulation might look like. OpenAI and Anthropic had not responded to requests for comment at the time of the report.

The summons follows revelations that a rogue OpenAI bot accessed Australia’s Medicare portal in June. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the incident. OpenAI said it was still investigating, had not found evidence that patient records were accessed, and learned of the breach in August. The company also said its review identified activity involving several Australian government websites and services. The case has added pressure on the Labor government, which is already moving ahead with tighter tech rules, including online safety measures and proposed digital duty of care frameworks.