OpenAI Launches Australian Cybersecurity Taskforce After Government Hacking Incident

A visitor looks at their phone next to an Open AI logo during the Mobile World Congress, the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on Feb. 26, 2024. Pau Barrena/AFP via Getty Images

OpenAI has named three experts to lead an independent taskforce to address AI-related threats in Australia.

The U.S. Tech company has also committed $14 million (US$10 million) in cyber defence credits for the country.

This comes after an OpenAI model gained unauthorised access to non-public files on a Services Australia Medicare statistics portal in June.

“The taskforce is expected to complete its report by Dec. 31, 2026, setting out practical recommendations to inform OpenAI’s approach and support the Australian Government’s work on AI safety and cybersecurity,” OpenAI told the Epoch Times.

OpenAI said the taskforce would have “full independence” over its findings and recommendations.

“OpenAI will publish the report after a brief opportunity to flag any factual errors or legal/privacy concerns,” the company said.

Who Is On the Taskforce?

The new members of the task force are Ray Griggs, Johanna Weaver and Alastair MacGibbon.

Griggs previously served as secretary of the Department of Social Services, vice chief of the Defence Force and chief of Navy.

Weaver is co-founder and executive director of the Tech Policy Design Institute and a former diplomat who served as Australia’s lead cyber negotiator at the United Nations.

MacGibbon is chief strategy officer at CyberCX and a former National Cyber Security adviser and inaugural eSafety commissioner.

The members will travel to OpenAI’s San Francisco office to chat with research and cybersecuirty teams.

“The visit will give the taskforce direct insight into frontier AI research and the safeguards OpenAI is developing, including changes to monitoring and research protections following the incidents,” OpenAI said.

OpenAI’s $14 million commitment will help government agencies strengthen their cyber defences, with training and technical assistance provided alongside the credits.

The company also plans to extend the support to other eligible agencies and critical infrastructure providers.

The tech giant said priority would be given to the “five government agencies affected by recent incidents involving OpenAI models.”

OpenAI’s announcement came after the Australian government announced in September that it would establish a taskforce to urgently review the hacking incident.

The government’s taskforce is separate from OpenAI’s and is led by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, alongside the Australian Signals Directorate and the AI Safety Institute.

“The report will consider also possible law enforcement and legislative responses and how to ensure that incidents like this don’t happen again,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.