House Dems call for AI companies to testify on recent hacks: 'Clear risk to safety' - CNBC

Politics & Policy House Dems call for AI companies to testify on recent hacks: ‘Clear risk to safety’ Published Mon, Aug 10 2026 7:00 AM EDT Updated 2 Min Ago Megan Cassella @mmcassella @in/megan-cassella-ba02a160/ WATCH LIVE KEY POINTS House Democrats led by Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, asked House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to invite the CEOs of AI companies including OpenAI and Anthropic to testify before Congress. The lawmakers said in the letter, reported first by CNBC, that they want answers following a spate of hacking incidents perpetrated by AI models. The Democrats said they are concerned about future hacks by AI models absent government oversight and regulation. A group of House Democrats is calling for the leaders of OpenAI , Anthropic and other major AI companies to testify before Congress following a spate of hacking incidents that the lawmakers say "have serious implications for Americans' safety and security." "Unfortunately, Congress has so far completely failed to respond to the threats posed by AI development," the lawmakers wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson , R-La., in a letter, a copy of which was shared exclusively with CNBC. Continue Reading "That must change," they wrote in the letter sent Monday. "The CEOs of the largest AI companies should answer questions under oath, and Americans should have a chance to hear from independent experts on the dangers posed by this technology." Read more CNBC politics and policy coverage Khanna to introduce ‘Data Center Bill of Rights’ as fight over AI power plants heats up Kids Online Safety Act social media safety bill advances in Senate Trump admin refunds $100 billion in ‘liberation day’ tariffs The letter comes after a series of cyber breaches in recent weeks have been carried out by models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic, prompting a fresh wave of concern around advanced AI systems and their potential to cause harm. The lawmakers called those incidents "serious" and cautioned they "may be the canary in the coal mine warning of much more serious problems if these models continue to advance without regulation." They wrote they'd like to see AI executives testify "about the causes of these incidents, what failures or potential negligence at the companies led to them, and the types of regulation required to make sure they never happen again." The hacking incidents have intensified the debate around whether and what action Washington should take to rein in artificial intelligence. President Donald Trump has said he'd like to see "guardrails" around the technology but that too much action could hinder U.S. companies' ability to compete against China . Congress so far has done little by way of AI regulation. The Democrats signing the letter have no power on their own to compel AI CEOs to come to testify on Capitol Hill. But their calls to Johnson suggest broadening interest within the party at least on bringing executives in for a hearing. The letter was led by Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Most of the signatories are from the progressive wing of the party, though some, including Rep. April McClain Delaney , D-Md., are seen as more centrist. Trending Now 1 The 10 most in-demand ZIP codes for homebuyers in 2026 2 Trump signals shift to economic pressure as Iran hardens stance over Strait of Hormuz 3 S&P 500 is little changed as traders await possible Hormuz deal, Intel shares fall 4 Earthquake on Colombia's Pacific coast causes injuries and damage 5 Student loan borrowers face steeper 'marriage penalty' under new repayment plan View the full site