OpenAI apologizes for breach of Australian healthcare system

SYDNEY, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- OpenAI on Tuesday apologized to Australians after one of its models breached the nation's universal healthcare system.

The OpenAI logo is seen at the "ALL IN 2026" conference at the Palais des Congres de Montreal in Montreal, Quebec, on September 17, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

The breach, which was disclosed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, occurred in June when an OpenAI agent gained unauthorized access to a Medicare data portal.

Albanese said at the time that Services Australia, the government agency that administers the portal, was not notified about the breach until earlier in September.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported on Tuesday that OpenAI issued an apology for the incident and for its response.

"We are sorry and working to do better in the future," the AI giant said.

"This is a new kind of cyber incident which represents an emerging global challenge."

It said that the breach occurred during training on an internal-only model that was not subjected to the same safeguards applied to publicly-available products.

Responding to the apology, Albanese told reporters that OpenAI has been very constructive and open in engaging with the government since the breach was revealed.

He said that AI can improve economic growth and provide revolutionary breakthroughs in health and science, but comes with risks.

"We've seen those risks exposed," he said.

"We need to work this through. We see this as an opportunity, but we want to seize the benefit whilst mitigating the risks. That's the task that we have going forward."

Local media reported on Monday that OpenAI's Chief Strategy Officer will fly to Australia to appear before a federal parliamentary inquiry into AI in October.