The CEOs of OpenAI and Anthropic have been asked to appear before an Australian Senate inquiry examining the impact of artificial intelligence and data centres, following renewed scrutiny of AI agents accessing government systems.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have received written requests to appear at public hearings scheduled for Thursday, October 1, in Canberra, according to Reuters. The inquiry is chaired by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
The requests come days after Australian authorities disclosed that an OpenAI agent had accessed the country’s Medicare system. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as unacceptable and said he had spoken directly with Altman to express his concerns.
OpenAI said it became aware of the breach in August and that the incident was unintentional. The company also said that no private information had been compromised. Reuters reported that the Medicare incident was among at least four cases involving OpenAI agents accessing Australian government websites.
The incident has intensified questions around the safeguards governing AI agents, particularly systems capable of interacting with external websites and databases without direct human intervention.
Australia’s Senate inquiry is broader than the Medicare incident. It is examining the potential effects of AI and data centres on Australian communities and industries, including their implications for water and energy consumption.
The hearing also comes as Australia considers legislation specifically targeting AI, with the government preparing new rules for the sector. The recent incident could increase pressure for stronger oversight and transparency requirements.
Hanson-Young has called on both executives to appear before the inquiry and answer questions about how AI companies manage risks associated with increasingly autonomous systems.
The requests are currently voluntary, although reporting indicates the inquiry has powers to compel witnesses to appear. Whether Altman and Amodei will attend has not yet been confirmed.
The October 1 hearing could therefore become an important test of how governments intend to hold major AI companies accountable as their systems gain greater access to real-world infrastructure and sensitive information.
