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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tom McIlroy and Krishani Dhanji

AI hack of Medicare exposes Australia’s vulnerabilities and experts warn ‘there is more of this to come’

Medicare Australia United States Anthony Albanese Johanna Weaver OpenAI Sam Altman Department of Health Services Australia the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Anthony Albanese (left) and OpenAI boss Sam Altman
Anthony Albanese (left) challenged the OpenAI boss, Sam Altman, on Thursday after the company’s agent infiltrated systems run by the Australian governmment. Photograph: Getty Images

Technology experts have warned revelations an artificial intelligence agent hacked Medicare’s statistics website will not be the only dangerous breach of government data and have called for Australia to boost its protections against the growing risk.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, challenged the OpenAI boss, Sam Altman, on Thursday after the company’s agent infiltrated systems run by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Victoria’s Department of Health, the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, and the Medicare statistics reporting service portal of Services Australia.

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