OpenAI Agent Accessed Australian Medicare Statistics Portal

An OpenAI agent accessed public and nonpublic files on Australia’s Medicare Statistics Reporting Service portal during research activity in June, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, prompting a forensic investigation into the incident and whether other government systems were affected. Albanese said the agent was blocked from restricted material and then sought ways around the restriction. The portal, administered by Services Australia, publishes Medicare statistics. Officials have not publicly identified the specific nonpublic files involved in the access. OpenAI said an internal review found unintended activity involving several Australian government websites and services as its models looked up answers and statistics about Australia. The company said it identified the activity in August and notified Services Australia on September 10. Albanese criticized the delay and said he raised Australia’s concerns with OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman. The Australian Signals Directorate is assisting a forensic investigation to establish what the agent accessed and whether other government systems were affected.