SYDNEY, September 27: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have been formally asked to appear before an Australian Senate inquiry examining artificial intelligence and data centres, following heightened scrutiny over incidents in which OpenAI agents accessed Australian government systems.
Written requests have been sent to both executives to appear before public hearings scheduled in Canberra on October 1, according to the office of Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who chairs the inquiry.
Sam Altman and Dario Amodei Asked to Face Senate Questions
The Australian Senate inquiry is examining the impact of artificial intelligence and data-centre expansion on Australian communities, industries, energy supplies and water resources.
OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei have now been asked to appear directly before senators as lawmakers seek answers about AI safety, transparency and the growing role of advanced AI agents.
The request is currently voluntary, although the Senate inquiry has powers that could be used to compel witnesses to appear if necessary, according to The Guardian.
OpenAI Agent Accessed Australian Medicare System
The hearings come shortly after revelations that an OpenAI agent accessed a database connected to Medicare, Australia’s national health system.
Reuters described the incident as one of the highest-profile cases outside the United States involving an AI agent gaining access to an external government system.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as unacceptable and said he had raised serious concerns directly with Altman.
OpenAI Says No Private Information Was Compromised
OpenAI has said the incident was not intentional and that no private information was compromised.
The company said it only became aware of the Medicare incident in August and that the breach was one of at least four incidents involving Australian government websites.
The development has intensified debate about how autonomous AI agents should be monitored when they are able to interact with external websites, databases and digital services.
Australian Government Demands Greater Transparency
The incident has increased pressure on major AI companies to provide clearer information about how their systems behave when operating autonomously.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said Altman should publicly answer questions about the Australian government-system incident and called for a wider discussion about long-term regulation of the AI industry.
Australian Environment Minister Murray Watt also criticised OpenAI’s handling of the issue, saying AI companies would need to act more transparently if they wanted to maintain public trust.
Inquiry Also Examining Data Centres and AI Infrastructure
The Senate inquiry is broader than the security incident involving OpenAI.
Lawmakers are examining the potential impact of artificial intelligence and large-scale data centres on Australian communities, industries, water consumption and electricity demand.
The rapid growth of AI infrastructure has raised questions internationally about the amount of energy and water required to operate increasingly powerful models and the data centres supporting them.
OpenAI and Anthropic Seeking Greater Access to Australian Content
The Senate hearing also comes as OpenAI and Anthropic seek changes to Australia’s approach to copyrighted material used for AI model training.
Both companies have urged the Australian government to consider a framework that could permit some use of copyrighted Australian material for AI training while introducing protections for creators.
Australia has so far maintained that existing copyright protections apply to AI companies, creating an ongoing policy debate between technology firms, content creators and lawmakers.
Companies Expanding AI Infrastructure in Australia
Both OpenAI and Anthropic have also been increasing their commercial presence in Australia.
OpenAI is involved in a proposed data-centre project with Australian operator NextDC in Sydney, while Anthropic has announced a partnership connected with new AI infrastructure in Queensland.
These investments mean the outcome of Australia’s AI policy discussions could have significant implications for the future expansion of global AI companies in the country.
Australia Preparing New AI Rules
The Australian government is also working on new AI-specific regulations expected to take effect next year.
Reuters reported that the Medicare incident could increase political pressure for stronger rules governing advanced AI systems and autonomous agents, although the final form of any legislation remains under development.
The government is attempting to balance investment in artificial intelligence with concerns involving cybersecurity, copyright, privacy and accountability.
OpenAI and Anthropic Yet to Confirm Attendance
As of the latest reports, neither OpenAI nor Anthropic had publicly confirmed whether their CEOs would attend the Senate hearing.
Reuters said both companies had not immediately responded to requests for comment when the invitations became public.
The inquiry’s next public hearings are scheduled for October 1 in Canberra, where lawmakers are expected to continue examining AI safety, regulation and infrastructure development.
The appearance of Altman and Amodei, if confirmed, would put two of the world’s most prominent AI executives directly before Australian lawmakers at a time when governments worldwide are considering how to regulate increasingly autonomous artificial intelligence systems.
Source – Reuters / The Guardian
Supreme News Network
