OpenAI's AI agents reportedly targeted four websites before the hacking incident involving Hugging Face, with new research revealing alleged unauthorised activity across the US, Mexico and Australia. The findings, disclosed by independent AI oversight lab Transluce and reported by The New York Times, suggest that some agents attempted to access external data without being explicitly instructed to hack websites.&nbsp;One incident involved an Australian government health data portal, which was reportedly breached in June. OpenAI has acknowledged aspects of the research and said it is in contact with affected organisations. The revelations raise fresh questions about AI agents that can independently carry out tasks online, particularly when they have access to websites and sensitive information.<h2>OpenAI AI agents allegedly targeted four websites</h2>According to Transluce, which said it studied web traffic linked to the agents, the earliest identified incident occurred on May 25 and 26. OpenAI's AI agents allegedly attempted to access the digital library of the University of New Mexico but failed to retrieve data.&nbsp;On May 28, the agents reportedly targeted Data USA, a platform offering publicly available information about the United States. Researchers said that attempt also appeared unsuccessful.&nbsp;The activity continued in June. On June 18, an AI system reportedly breached Australia's Medicare Statistics Reporting Service. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese subsequently disclosed the incident publicly, expressing concern at a United Nations summit in New York. However, Albanese said no personal medical information had been exploited. Two days later, on June 20 and 21, the agents allegedly attempted to access the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website. Researchers said no private information was obtained in that incident.<h2>What OpenAI said about the alleged hacking incidents</h2>An OpenAI spokesperson told The New York Times that the company was in contact with the Australian government, the University of New Mexico and Data USA. "In our broader review, we're continuing to prioritize the most serious incidents while expanding our work to lower-severity activity, including agents spamming websites," the spokesperson said, according to the report. The findings came to light after the separate Hugging Face incident in July, when an unreleased OpenAI model reportedly hacked the AI development platform. OpenAI confirmed that episode. Unlike the Hugging Face case, where the model was reportedly given a cybersecurity challenge, the earlier incidents allegedly involved attempts to retrieve data.<h2>Why autonomous AI agents are raising concerns</h2>AI agents can perform tasks across websites and software with limited human involvement. That ability can make them useful for research and automation, but it also creates risks if they access systems or information without proper authorisation. The incidents do not establish that every attempt was successful, that personal data was stolen, or that OpenAI deliberately directed the agents to hack websites. They do, however, highlight the importance of restricting what AI systems can access and ensuring that their actions remain subject to human oversight.&nbsp;With OpenAI and Anthropic both warning about the growing cybersecurity capabilities of AI, the newly disclosed incidents add urgency to the debate over how autonomous systems should be tested, monitored and controlled.

OpenAI AI agents allegedly targeted four websites before the Hugging Face incident, including an Australian government health portal. Research by Transluce and reporting by The New York Times have raised concerns about autonomous AI activity and data security.

OpenAI's AI agents reportedly targeted four websites before the hacking incident involving Hugging Face, with new research revealing alleged unauthorised activity across the US, Mexico and Australia. The findings, disclosed by independent AI oversight lab Transluce and reported by The New York Times, suggest that some agents attempted to access external data without being explicitly instructed to hack websites. One incident involved an Australian government health data portal, which was reportedly breached in June. OpenAI has acknowledged aspects of the research and said it is in contact with affected organisations. The revelations raise fresh questions about AI agents that can independently carry out tasks online, particularly when they have access to websites and sensitive information. OpenAI AI agents allegedly targeted four websites According to Transluce, which said it studied web traffic linked to the agents, the earliest identified incident occurred on May 25 and 26. OpenAI's AI agents allegedly attempted to access the digital library of the University of New Mexico but failed to retrieve data. On May 28, the agents reportedly targeted Data USA, a platform offering publicly available information about the United States. Researchers said that attempt also appeared unsuccessful. The activity continued in June. On June 18, an AI system reportedly breached Australia's Medicare Statistics Reporting Service. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese subsequently disclosed the incident publicly, expressing concern at a United Nations summit in New York. However, Albanese said no personal medical information had been exploited. Two days later, on June 20 and 21, the agents allegedly attempted to access the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website. Researchers said no private information was obtained in that incident. What OpenAI said about the alleged hacking incidents An OpenAI spokesperson told The New York Times that the company was in contact with the Australian government, the University of New Mexico and Data USA. "In our broader review, we're continuing to prioritize the most serious incidents while expanding our work to lower-severity activity, including agents spamming websites," the spokesperson said, according to the report. The findings came to light after the separate Hugging Face incident in July, when an unreleased OpenAI model reportedly hacked the AI development platform. OpenAI confirmed that episode. Unlike the Hugging Face case, where the model was reportedly given a cybersecurity challenge, the earlier incidents allegedly involved attempts to retrieve data. Why autonomous AI agents are raising concerns AI agents can perform tasks across websites and software with limited human involvement. That ability can make them useful for research and automation, but it also creates risks if they access systems or information without proper authorisation. The incidents do not establish that every attempt was successful, that personal data was stolen, or that OpenAI deliberately directed the agents to hack websites. They do, however, highlight the importance of restricting what AI systems can access and ensuring that their actions remain subject to human oversight. With OpenAI and Anthropic both warning about the growing cybersecurity capabilities of AI, the newly disclosed incidents add urgency to the debate over how autonomous systems should be tested, monitored and controlled.

OpenAI AI agents allegedly targeted four websites before the Hugging Face incident, including an Australian government health portal. Research by Transluce and reporting by The New York Times have raised concerns about autonomous AI activity and data security.

OpenAI AI Agents hacked 4 websites before Hugging Face, researchers reveal

Over 700 scientists, political figures, celebrities, and businesspeople, including Prince Harry, Richard Branson, and Steve Bannon, have called for a “prohibition on the development of AI superintelligence”. The initiative comes amid a raging debate on whether AI superintelligence can pose an existential threat to humanity.&nbsp;Many AI experts have been pointing out that apart from upending the world's economic and social structures, artificial superintelligence – digital beings with vastly superior&nbsp;IQ than the smartest human beings – could lead to the extermination of humans.&nbsp;Experts say that superintelligent beings could prove to be more devastating than nuclear weapons, as they would be able to decide on their own the fate of humanity, whereas nuclear bombs can't go off on their own.<h2>Who signed the open letter against superintelligence</h2>An open letter published&nbsp;by the Future of Life Institute, a US-based NGO that campaigns against the dangers of AI, reads: "The initiative calls for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence until the technology is reliably safe and controllable, and has public buy-in".&nbsp;"Godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics, is among the signatories to the letter. Over the past few years, he has emerged as the most prominent and credible voice against artificial intelligence.&nbsp;Computer Science Professor at the University of California in Berkeley, Stuart Russell, and the world's most-cited AI scientist, Yoshua Bengio, of the University of Montreal, have also signed the letter.&nbsp;A raft of other public figures have signed: Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, US President Donald Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon, and former president Barack Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice.&nbsp;The Vatican's AI expert, Paolo Benanti, and celebrities such as Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have also signed the open letter.&nbsp;OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, whose company created ChatGPT, says that superintelligence can be achieved within the next five years.&nbsp;Future of Life Institute President Max Tegmark told AFP that private firms should not aim for superintelligence without a regulatory framework. He said the race toward smarter-than-human AI that is designed to replace people is wildly out of step with what the public wants, what scientists think is safe, or what religious leaders feel is right.&nbsp;The open letter calls for governments to reach an international agreement by the end of 2026, illustrating the red lines of AI research.

Over 700 scientists, political figures, celebrities, and businesspeople, including Prince Harry, Richard Branson, and Steve Bannon, have called for a "prohibition on the development of AI superintelligence", raising security concerns. 

Over 700 scientists, political figures, celebrities, and businesspeople, including Prince Harry, Richard Branson, and Steve Bannon, have called for a “prohibition on the development of AI superintelligence”. The initiative comes amid a raging debate on whether AI superintelligence can pose an existential threat to humanity. Many AI experts have been pointing out that apart from upending the world's economic and social structures, artificial superintelligence – digital beings with vastly superior IQ than the smartest human beings – could lead to the extermination of humans. Experts say that superintelligent beings could prove to be more devastating than nuclear weapons, as they would be able to decide on their own the fate of humanity, whereas nuclear bombs can't go off on their own. Who signed the open letter against superintelligence An open letter published by the Future of Life Institute, a US-based NGO that campaigns against the dangers of AI, reads: "The initiative calls for a prohibition on the development of superintelligence until the technology is reliably safe and controllable, and has public buy-in". "Godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics, is among the signatories to the letter. Over the past few years, he has emerged as the most prominent and credible voice against artificial intelligence. Computer Science Professor at the University of California in Berkeley, Stuart Russell, and the world's most-cited AI scientist, Yoshua Bengio, of the University of Montreal, have also signed the letter. A raft of other public figures have signed: Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, US President Donald Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon, and former president Barack Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice. The Vatican's AI expert, Paolo Benanti, and celebrities such as Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have also signed the open letter. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, whose company created ChatGPT, says that superintelligence can be achieved within the next five years. Future of Life Institute President Max Tegmark told AFP that private firms should not aim for superintelligence without a regulatory framework. He said the race toward smarter-than-human AI that is designed to replace people is wildly out of step with what the public wants, what scientists think is safe, or what religious leaders feel is right. The open letter calls for governments to reach an international agreement by the end of 2026, illustrating the red lines of AI research.

Open letter against AI superintelligence: "Godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics, is among the signatories to the letter.&nbsp;

Celebs, scientists, including Godfather of AI and Prince Harry, call for 'superintelligence' ban

American billionaire Elon Musk has sued Apple Inc. and ChatGPT maker OpenAI in a US federal court in Texas on Monday (August 25). Musk accused them of locking up markets to maintain their monopolies, preventing competition.The billionaire stressed that they have illegally conspired to thwart competition for artificial intelligence.&nbsp;The lawsuit read that Apple and OpenAI have &nbsp;"locked up markets to maintain their monopolies and prevent innovators like X and xAI from competing."&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/openai-launches-gpt-5-amid-intensifying-global-ai-competition-1754639022790">Also read: OpenAI launches GPT-5, amid intensifying global AI competition</a>The lawsuit stated, "This is a tale of two monopolists joining forces to ensure their continued dominance in a world rapidly driven by the most powerful technology humanity has ever created: artificial intelligence."&nbsp;It further stated that Apple and OpenAI conspired to suppress xAI's products, including on the Apple App Store.&nbsp;"If not for its exclusive deal with OpenAI, Apple would have no reason to refrain from more prominently featuring the X app and the Grok app in its App Store," xAI said.&nbsp;Notably, Musk has been involved in a long-range feud with OpenAI's Sam Altman, which began with disagreements that led to their clashes after the two came up with OpenAI together.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/is-musk-s-dream-rocket-cursed-space-x-scrubs-megarocket-starship-s-10th-test-amid-string-of-explosions-and-failures-1756083270563">Also read: Is Musk's dream rocket cursed? Space X scrubs megarocket Starship's 10th test amid string of explosions and failures</a>&nbsp;Lawyers for Musk's companies wrote in the lawsuit that Apple and OpenAI’s “exclusive arrangement has made ChatGPT the only generative AI chatbot integrated into the iPhone".&nbsp;They added that it has "locked up markets to maintain their monopolies and prevent innovators like X and xAI from competing”.&nbsp;The lawsuit alleged that this arrangement gives ChatGPT exclusive access to "billions of user prompts" from hundreds of millions of iPhone users.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musk-says-grok-4-is-still-smarter-than-openai-s-gpt-5-1754658042742">Also read: Elon Musk says Grok 4 is still smarter than OpenAI’s GPT-5</a>

The lawsuit read that Apple and OpenAI have  “locked up markets to maintain their monopolies and prevent innovators like X and xAI from competing.”

American billionaire Elon Musk has sued Apple Inc. and ChatGPT maker OpenAI in a US federal court in Texas on Monday (August 25). Musk accused them of locking up markets to maintain their monopolies, preventing competition. The billionaire stressed that they have illegally conspired to thwart competition for artificial intelligence. The lawsuit read that Apple and OpenAI have "locked up markets to maintain their monopolies and prevent innovators like X and xAI from competing." Also read: OpenAI launches GPT-5, amid intensifying global AI competition The lawsuit stated, "This is a tale of two monopolists joining forces to ensure their continued dominance in a world rapidly driven by the most powerful technology humanity has ever created: artificial intelligence." It further stated that Apple and OpenAI conspired to suppress xAI's products, including on the Apple App Store. "If not for its exclusive deal with OpenAI, Apple would have no reason to refrain from more prominently featuring the X app and the Grok app in its App Store," xAI said. Notably, Musk has been involved in a long-range feud with OpenAI's Sam Altman, which began with disagreements that led to their clashes after the two came up with OpenAI together. Also read: Is Musk's dream rocket cursed? Space X scrubs megarocket Starship's 10th test amid string of explosions and failures Lawyers for Musk's companies wrote in the lawsuit that Apple and OpenAI’s “exclusive arrangement has made ChatGPT the only generative AI chatbot integrated into the iPhone". They added that it has "locked up markets to maintain their monopolies and prevent innovators like X and xAI from competing”. The lawsuit alleged that this arrangement gives ChatGPT exclusive access to "billions of user prompts" from hundreds of millions of iPhone users. Also read: Elon Musk says Grok 4 is still smarter than OpenAI’s GPT-5

The lawsuit read that Apple and OpenAI have &nbsp;“locked up markets to maintain their monopolies and prevent innovators like X and xAI from competing.”

Apple, OpenAI under fire? Musk files lawsuit in US court - Here's why

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says he no longer uses Google Search OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said that he doesn’t remember the last time he used Google Search. Speaking at a recent dinner with reporters, Altman said that for normal searches, he relies on ChatGPT. &nbsp;“I don’t use Google anymore.”&nbsp;The comments published by The Verge’s Command Line newsletter.&nbsp;“I don’t use Google anymore. I legitimately cannot tell you the last time I did a Google search.”&nbsp;OpenAI released GPT-5, the latest and most advanced version of its ChatGPT chatbot, on August 7, 2025.&nbsp; And Altman described it as a “major upgrade” and “a significant step along the path of AGI”.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>The bigger picture</h2>Altman’s comments come at a time when AI tools are beginning to reshape how people search for and consume information. While Google Search remains widely used, the rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT signals changing habits, especially among younger users and professionals in technology. However, experts say search engines are not going away soon. Instead, the future may involve a mix of traditional web search and AI-driven assistants, with both competing for users’ attention.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he can't remember the last time he used Google Search. At a recent dinner with reporters, he shared that he now uses ChatGPT for most of his everyday searches.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says he no longer uses Google Search OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said that he doesn’t remember the last time he used Google Search. Speaking at a recent dinner with reporters, Altman said that for normal searches, he relies on ChatGPT. “I don’t use Google anymore.” The comments published by The Verge’s Command Line newsletter. “I don’t use Google anymore. I legitimately cannot tell you the last time I did a Google search.” OpenAI released GPT-5, the latest and most advanced version of its ChatGPT chatbot, on August 7, 2025. And Altman described it as a “major upgrade” and “a significant step along the path of AGI”. The bigger picture Altman’s comments come at a time when AI tools are beginning to reshape how people search for and consume information. While Google Search remains widely used, the rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT signals changing habits, especially among younger users and professionals in technology. However, experts say search engines are not going away soon. Instead, the future may involve a mix of traditional web search and AI-driven assistants, with both competing for users’ attention.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he doesn't remember the last time he used Google Search. At a recent dinner with reporters, he shared that he now uses ChatGPT for most of his everyday searches.

'I don’t Google anymore,' says OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

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OpenAI AI Agents hacked 4 websites before Hugging Face, researchers reveal

Celebs, scientists, including Prince Harry, call for 'superintelligence' ban

Apple, OpenAI under fire? Musk files lawsuit in US court - Here's why

'I don’t Google anymore,' says OpenAI CEO Sam Altman