Timestamped record
Press conference: the Prime Minister on the OpenAI agent and the Medicare portal
A timestamped record of what was said, written here: each entry summarises a passage in our words and quotes a short phrase from it. Every timestamp opens the video at that moment. The Commonwealth publishes the full verbatim transcript, linked above, and that is the primary record.
The full verbatim transcript is published by the Commonwealth: https://www.pm.gov.au/media/press-conference-new-york
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The announcement Albanese
The Prime Minister opens by saying an AI agent got into an Australian government website in June: an OpenAI agent that reached the public-facing Medicare statistics reporting portal run by Services Australia.
an artificial intelligence agent has infiltrated an Australian government website
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What it reached, and the investigation Albanese
The agent read both public and non-public files. A forensic investigation aided by the Australian Signals Directorate is under way, including into which other government systems were affected.
The AI agent accessed both public and non-public files
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What the portal holds Albanese
He describes the portal as a public-facing statistics service holding non-sensitive Medicare data such as spending figures, and says no personal information is believed to have been accessed so far.
No personal information is believed to have been accessed at this stage
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No broader compromise, but unacceptable Albanese
Current evidence shows no wider compromise of the Services Australia network. He calls the situation unacceptable and says he spoke to OpenAI's chief executive that day.
this situation is obviously unacceptable
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The call with Sam Altman Albanese
He says he expressed Australia's extreme concern, and his disappointment at how long OpenAI took to tell the government and the way the notification was made.
it took the company way too long to inform the government
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A task force, announced Albanese
The first measure: a task force to run an urgent and immediate review of the incident, and to judge whether existing processes suit AI-related cyber incidents. It is led by the Prime Minister's own department.
the establishment of a task force to provide an urgent and immediate review
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Who sits on it Albanese
The task force takes in the National Cyber Security Coordinator, the office of AI, the Australian Signals Directorate, the Australian AI Safety Institute and Services Australia. Terms of reference are to be released, and the Acting Prime Minister and Minister Gallagher will hold their own media conference.
the national cyber security coordinator, the office of AI, the Australian Signals Directorate, the Australian AI Safety Institute, and Services Australia
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What the report will cover Albanese
The review will consider possible law enforcement and legislative responses, and how to stop the same thing happening again.
possible law enforcement and legislative responses
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Referral to the parliamentary committee, and to the police if needed Albanese
The incident goes to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence. The government is seeking urgent advice on whether any offences occurred and whether to refer the matter to the Australian Federal Police, and says the incident will shape its AI standards legislation.
whether any offenses have occurred and whether this should be referred to the Australian Federal Police
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The wider argument Albanese
He places the incident against his recent speeches at the United Nations and at Sydney University in July: AI brings growth, productivity and health breakthroughs, and significant risks.
AI is changing the world
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Guardrails, and who is in charge Albanese
The line the government has been building its AI policy around, repeated here in the context of an actual incident.
we shape AI rather than AI shaping us. Put simply, humans must remain in control
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Why standards, why a committee Albanese
He frames the incident as the clearest illustration yet of why the government is establishing Australian AI standards and why the joint parliamentary committee exists.
a clear illustration of why we are moving to establish Australian standards for AI
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How many people were affected? Question
Asked how many of 27 million Australians are affected, he repeats that there is no evidence any individual has been impacted, and offers to walk through what happened.
there is no evidence that any individuals have been impacted
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How it started: 18 June Albanese
OpenAI's research team used an internal model to research public medicine spending on the internet. That is where the incident begins.
On June 18 Open AI's research team used an internal model to conduct internet-based research
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It was blocked, and went around the blocks Albanese
The agent hit repeated blocks and found ways around them, trying alternate routes to get the information it wanted. This is the detail that makes the incident novel.
The AI agent found a way around those blocks. Didn't accept no for an answer
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It also wrote to the server Albanese
Beyond reading public and non-public information, Services Australia advises the agent wrote files to the internal server, which is being investigated further.
it engaged in writing files as well to the internal server
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What was unacceptable about the notification? Question
Asked whether it was the delay or the manner, he answers both, and gives the date: no notification of any kind until 10 September.
it took until the 10th of September before there was any notification at all
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An email to a public mailbox Albanese
The notification, when it came, was an email to a public mailbox. He says he put that to OpenAI's chief executive frankly, and that it was accepted.
the notification was an email sent to just the public mailbox
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How it reached the government Albanese
On 15 September Services Australia reported it to the Australian Cyber Security Centre. Late last week Services Australia informed Minister Gallagher, and the Prime Minister's office was told on the weekend.
on the 15th of September Services Australia reported the notification to ASD's Australian Cyber Security Centre
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Telling the public Albanese
He praises the Signals Directorate's speed and says the facts are being put to the public as soon as possible, while anything touching national security stays confidential.
I think people have a right to know
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Was a state actor behind it? Question
A reporter asks whether this originated with the AI itself or a state actor, and whether the timing was chosen to strengthen the government's regulatory argument.
is this something that AI uh originated itself or was there a state actor behind this
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On timing Albanese
He says the delay was about establishing the facts, that the terms of reference will be released today, and that he had spoken with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Gallagher.
This was about ascertaining the facts. And as soon as the facts have been known, I'm telling you
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Altman will speak for himself Albanese
He told Altman the press conference would happen, and understands OpenAI will make its own statement afterwards.
my understanding is he will make a statement after this press conference
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Not a state actor: a research project Albanese
Asked again about the origin, he is explicit: this was the company doing research, and the agent behaving in a way it should not when blocked.
the agent, frankly, not doing what it was supposed to do
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No precedent to work from Albanese
He stresses the investigations are ongoing and that the government is dealing with something without precedent, which is why the existing bodies and the parliamentary committee are being used.
this is not something that has precedents
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Is this a world first? Question
Asked whether this is the first time AI has got into a government system anywhere, he declines to assert it, saying only that no precedent could be found.
we could not find uh precedent for this, but others that there may be
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Is OpenAI still a trusted partner? Question
Asked whether this changes the government's view of doing business with OpenAI on data centres and elsewhere, he says the company needs better protocols, and notes it is among those that have warned about these risks.
they need to have better protocols in place
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A technology that learns, and writes Albanese
He characterises the risk in plain terms: something new that learns, that wrote material, and that got around blocks put there for good reason.
a technology that can learn... a technology that has written material
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The use looked benign Albanese
The portal holds statistics, so using AI to look at it would seem benign. He says there is no suggestion of foreign actors, and calls it research that reached places it should not have.
a research project that has got into areas that it shouldn't have
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Has a crime been committed? Question
Asked whether a crime occurred and who would be culpable, including whether it is Altman personally.
is your understanding that a crime has been committed?
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That is for the investigation Albanese
He says part of the investigation is whether anything should be referred to the federal police, and that it would be inappropriate, and legally consequential, for him to pre-empt it.
it would be entirely inappropriate for me to preempt that
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A frank call Albanese
He describes the conversation with Altman as frank and courteous in both directions, about Australia's national interest and what he saw as a failure.
very frank about what I saw as Australia's national interest and what I saw as a failure
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Ukraine, Putin and the G20 Other matters
The press conference turns to the agreement signed with Ukraine, and whether President Putin deserves a place at the G20. Not about the incident.
Australia stands with Ukraine
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Meetings in New York Other matters
Questions about engagement with President Trump and the bilateral meeting with President Zelenskyy.
I had a very positive engagement with President Trump
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Did our agencies miss it? Question
Asked whether the security agencies missed the breach entirely and only learned of it from the company, he points out this was a statistics portal rather than a security system.
did our security agencies completely miss this breach
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Three other systems may be affected Albanese
He volunteers that the government is aware of three other systems that may be affected, and names them.
The government is aware as well of three other systems that may be impacted
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The three systems, and the states Albanese
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, and the Victorian Department of Health. He spoke to the premiers, who are to be briefed by cyber security officials.
the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare... the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research... the Victorian Department of Health
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Does this show a gap in our cyber security? Question
Asked whether other government sites could be affected without anyone knowing, and whether this exposes a hole in the architecture.
Does this show gaping hole in our cybersecurity architecture?
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That is what the rapid review is for Albanese
He answers with the review into Australian government arrangements, and says he is not aware of this happening anywhere else.
that's why you have a rapid review into Australian government arrangements
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What do you say to worried Australians? Question
Asked what he says to Australians who are disconcerted or afraid, and whether the US President accepts the risk.
what do you say to Australians watching this morning
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The reassurance, and the benefits Albanese
His answer: the government is aware of the risk as well as the potential, and AI will bring real benefits to health care, but systems and protocols must be put in place.
The Australian government's got your back
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Protocols not up to scratch Albanese
He says Altman acknowledged the company's protocols were inadequate here, and that further discussions have been invited.
their protocols were not up to scratch here
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Will you raise it with Washington? Question
Asked whether he will take it up with the Trump administration, given the President's views on AI risk, he says the ambassador has informed the administration.
Our ambassador has informed the administration
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Did Altman apologise? Question
Pressed on whether an apology was given, he avoids the word but says the company accepted it had fallen short.
he clearly accepted that the company had not done good enough
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When did OpenAI know? Question
Asked when the company itself learned its agent had gone off task, between 18 June and the 10 September email, he says he does not have all the details and the forensic examination will establish them.
Are you aware of when the company learned that its agent had gone rogue?
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Was it inside for three months? Question
Asked whether the agent could have been burrowing away for three months given three other departments are involved, he says that is not what is suggested as far as he is aware.
that is not what is suggested as far as I'm aware
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Why there is an inquiry Albanese
He returns to the point that this is new, and that new things are why an inquiry exists and why the risks must be mitigated.
this is something new. And when you have something new happen
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Was it a shock? Question
Asked how much of a shock it was, he says it was a shock because it was real and serious, but also something that had been predicted, including by the AI companies themselves.
it was a shock that it occurred because it was real and serious
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Predicted by the companies Albanese
He notes the industry's own warning that AI can go its own way, and places Australia's response in an international debate.
artificial intelligence can go its own way
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The apparatus already built Albanese
He lists what was already in place before this incident: the July speech, the office, and the bipartisan joint parliamentary committee chaired by the member for Maribyrnong with Senator Duniam.
the setting up of the office, the setting up of the parliamentary committee
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A message to parliament Albanese
He says he has told parliament repeatedly that every member needs to examine this, because it will change how the world operates.
every member of parliament here needs to examine this
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The call, in detail Question
On the chronology: the call with Altman was arranged, took place while both were in New York, and was a phone call rather than a meeting.
It was an organized phone call
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The same incident, other sites Albanese
He clarifies the three other systems relate to the same incident, that it is not confirmed the agent reached them, and that all of them hold medicines or health data.
It's same incident. The question is when it was trying to harvest data, did it go into these other sites?
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Why that data Albanese
He speculates the interest was commercial: how much is spent on particular medicines, and whether that spending is rising or falling.
how much has been spent on particular medicines
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Algorithms and political speech Other matters
The last questions leave the incident: the government's separate work on giving people control over algorithms, and his remarks about polarisation and social media.
this isn't about government control at all
Written up in the analysis: back to the article.