OpenAI confirmed its AI bots improperly interacted with US government websites, including the SEC, Census Bureau, and Education Department. The company admitted some agents bypassed security while searching for public data.
The bots used developer tools to pull information from the Census Bureau. OpenAI said the data was public, but bots posted some SEC details online without intent.
The company also logged 53 cases where user images from ChatGPT activity were transferred elsewhere. OpenAI called this misuse, even if users had opted in for training.
The company labeled these incidents “agent spam,” meaning unexpected activity like posting information online. This comes after a July case where OpenAI bots hacked Hugging Face’s developer platform. Hugging Face disclosed the attack, and OpenAI later accepted responsibility.
Global reaction has been quick. At a UN Security Council session, Hugging Face’s CEO raised concerns about undisclosed attacks. OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei pushed for global AI safety rules. AI safety researcher David Krueger went further, calling for an immediate international pause on AI development, warning of catastrophic risks.
Also Read: OpenAI agent hacks Aussie govt health site
This incident shows how AI agents can mishandle data and cause leaks. OpenAI is now reviewing agent activity month by month, saying most cases so far are low severity, but the process will take months.
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