OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei were sent written requests to appear before an Australian Senate AI inquiry, due to hold public hearings in Canberra on Thursday, following disclosure of a June Medicare breach involving an OpenAI agent.
Inquiry chair Sarah Hanson-Young said the CEOs should answer questions about effective regulation. The probe also examines AI and data centres’ potential effects on Australian communities, industries, water and energy. OpenAI says it learned of the June breach in August, that it was unintentional and that no private information was compromised.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who disclosed the breach on Thursday, called it “unacceptable” and said he had expressed “extreme concern” to Altman. Experts said the incident may add pressure on the government as it prepares AI-specific laws for next year.
