California issues investigative subpoena to OpenAI over rogue agents’ hacking
Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California, gestures as he speaks at a press conference in Los Angeles, California, on 21 September 2026. Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters
Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California, gestures as he speaks at a press conference in Los Angeles, California, on 21 September 2026. Photograph: Daniel Cole/Reuters
California issues investigative subpoena to OpenAI over rogue agents’ hacking
State attorney general issues subpoena to OpenAI as part of broader inquiry into potential security vulnerabilities
California’s attorney general has issued an investigative subpoena to OpenAI, starting an investigation into the startup as part of a broader inquiry into potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities and incidents related to its AI models, his office said on Thursday.
Last month, Rob Bonta announced 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.
“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 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 investigation is the first official US enforcement action that delves into rogue AI agents.
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Bonta warned that developers failing to uphold this responsibility could face legal accountability.
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