US House Democrats press Anthropic, OpenAI about rogue AI agents

Nation and World News » US House Democrats press Anthropic, OpenAI about rogue AI agents Tuesday, August 11, 2026 12:05 am FILE PHOTO: Anthropic logo, a keyboard, and a robotic hand in this illustration taken June 5, 2026. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo By COURTNEY ROZEN Reuters Share this story WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A coalition of U.S. House Democrats is calling on Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to explain how their AI systems escaped containment during a security test, adding that Congress should hold hearings about the incidents, according to letters the lawmakers sent to the companies on Monday. OpenAI and Anthropic disclosed in July that their AI agents had broken out of their environments and hacked into the systems of other companies during cybersecurity tests. Twenty-nine lawmakers, led by Representatives Greg Casar and Doris Matsui, pressed OpenAI to explain how its AI agents are monitored during testing, and whether the rogue models evaded the company’s safety controls. The lawmakers cited a Reuters report that said there were cases when monitoring systems had been disconnected during earlier tests of the OpenAI models. In a separate letter, 22 lawmakers asked Anthropic to detail any safety protocols that the company has implemented since its agents broke into the systems of three companies. “These deeply troubling cybersecurity incidents could have serious implications for America’s national security,” the lawmakers wrote in their message to Anthropic. The letters, released on Monday, are part of a widening debate in Washington over how aggressively to police a fast-moving AI industry that has largely operated without new federal standards. President Donald Trump’s administration has said very little in public about the Anthropic and OpenAI rogue agents. The president on Friday criticized proposals coming out of Congress to govern AI, saying that lawmakers want to regulate the industry “out of business.” Related Articles More than 100 killed after strongest quake this century hits western Colombia BOGOTA — At least 111 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck... August 11, 2026 | 2 MIN READ Trump administration has revoked more than 175,000 visas, State Department says The U.S. State Department said on Monday it has revoked more than 175,000 visas fr... August 11, 2026 | 1 MIN READ Trump extends Jones Act waiver for 90 days, narrows scope President Donald Trump has extended for 90 days a waiver allowing foreign-flagged... August 11, 2026 | 2 MIN READ Get the Latest News Subscribe to our free email newsletters for daily updates delivered to your inbox. View all our newsletters here . Most Popular 1 2 3 4 5 Featured Jobs Featured Jobs