OpenAI executive Jason Kwon will be questioned at Australian parliamentary hearings over how the company will stop its AI models from inappropriately accessing Australian data, alongside Anthropic, Microsoft and Google.
Key facts
- OpenAI's Jason Kwon is set to face questions at Australian parliamentary inquiry hearings.
- The four-day hearings will also include Anthropic, Microsoft and Google, as well as unions, employer groups, banks and industry experts.
- The Labor chair of parliament's AI committee says OpenAI must explain how it will stop models inappropriately accessing Australian data.
- Independent senator David Pocock raised concerns about an OpenAI AI agent accessing Services Australia data on Medicare.
- Pocock criticised the company's delay in notifying the federal government about the incident.
OpenAI executive Jason Kwon is due to be questioned at Australian parliamentary inquiry hearings about how the company intends to stop its artificial intelligence models from inappropriately accessing Australian data, according to the Guardian.
The Labor chair of the parliament’s committee on artificial intelligence warned that OpenAI must explain the actions it is taking, ahead of the federal inquiry hearings that will see the company grilled alongside Anthropic, Microsoft and Google.
The hearings are scheduled to run across four days and will feature a broad range of participants. In addition to the major technology companies, unions, employer groups, banks and industry experts are expected to appear, the Guardian reported.
Independent senator David Pocock is also pressing for answers, saying OpenAI “still have a lot they need to answer” about their AI agent accessing Services Australia data on Medicare. He described the company’s delay in notifying the federal government about the incident as “appalling.”
The scrutiny places OpenAI and its fellow technology firms at the centre of Australian lawmakers’ broader examination of artificial intelligence and its handling of sensitive personal information held by government services.
Why it matters
The hearings signal growing government scrutiny over how powerful AI systems interact with sensitive personal and government-held data. For Australians, the questions raised touch directly on the security of Medicare and Services Australia records and how quickly companies disclose incidents involving private information.
Frequently asked questions
Who is appearing at the Australian AI inquiry hearings?
According to the Guardian, OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and Google will appear, along with unions, employer groups, banks and industry experts across four days of hearings.
What concerns have been raised about OpenAI?
Independent senator David Pocock has raised concerns about an OpenAI AI agent accessing Services Australia data on Medicare, and criticised the company's delay in notifying the federal government about the incident.
What does the committee want OpenAI to explain?
The Labor chair of parliament's committee on artificial intelligence says OpenAI must explain how it will stop its models from inappropriately accessing Australian data.