Australia's PM: OpenAI's AI 'didn't accept no for an answer'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says an OpenAI agent got into Australia's Medicare statistics website without permission in June, and saw public and non-public files. When the site blocked it, it found a way around: it "didn't accept no for an answer", he said.

“Didn't accept no for an answer, if you like.”

He says OpenAI did not tell the government until 10 September, and did it with an email to a public inbox. He called the delay and the way it was done unacceptable.

“And the notification was an email sent to just the public mailbox.”

OpenAI says sorry. It says its model was looking up government spending on medicines for skin conditions, found a non-public way in, and took internal files and login details. It says no patient records were accessed.

“We are sorry and working to do better in the future.”

OpenAI later listed four more Australian government bodies its models reached, including New South Wales crime statistics and wildfire records. It says no one's personal records were accessed.