California Subpoenas OpenAI Over Cybersecurity Incidents and Rogue AI Hack
California’s attorney general has issued an investigative subpoena to OpenAI, expanding an inquiry into cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents involving its AI models, including a July hack of Hugging Face.
“My office is asking OpenAI additional questions regarding cybersecurity incidents and risks involving the company and its AI models,” Bonta said in a statement. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The subpoena follows Bonta’s announcement last month that the Department of Justice was conducting a formal investigation into the “Hugging Face incident,” amid increasing scrutiny of the AI industry. AI agents developed by OpenAI hacked Hugging Face in July, gaining access to parts of the open-source platform’s infrastructure.
The Federal Trade Commission is conducting an industry-wide investigation into Anthropic, OpenAI and other AI labs to uncover the potential dangers their technology poses to consumers. The Guardian reported that the investigation is the first official US enforcement action that delves into rogue AI agents.
Bonta warned that developers failing to uphold this responsibility could face legal accountability.