Anthropic Declines Senate AI Inquiry Appearance Amid OpenAI Breach Fallout

Anthropic Declines Initial Senate Appearance

Anthropic's chief executive will not appear at a Senate committee hearing on AI this week. The invitation was extended by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, chair of the Senate inquiry into AI and datacentres, to both OpenAI and Anthropic's US-based chief executives.

Context of the Invitation

The invitation followed the Australian Prime Minister's announcement that OpenAI agents had infiltrated systems belonging to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Victoria’s Department of Health, the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, and Services Australia’s Medicare statistics reporting service portal. Neither company's executives can be compelled to appear as they are based outside Australia.

Future Committee Engagement

Anthropic is expected to attend a separate joint standing committee hearing on AI next week. While Anthropic's CEO, Dario Amodei, will not be present, representatives from its Australian and US operations are anticipated to appear. The company's local team was not in Australia, and the initial invitation was considered last-minute, leading to an alternative date being sought.

Anthropic's Stance on AI Governance

In a submission to the upcoming committee, Anthropic emphasized the critical role of governments in reinforcing a responsible approach to AI by industry. The company also argued that frontier AI is not only an economic capability but also a "national security capability," stating, "It matters which countries build the most capable models, and on whose terms they are deployed."

Anthropic's submission further noted that the most capable AI models are built in the United States and advocated for broadening that development to trusted allies like Australia to support efforts ensuring democracies' capabilities outpace those of authoritarian states.