California Attorney General Issues Subpoena to OpenAI Over AI Cybersecurity Risks

On October 2, 2026, the office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that Bonta has issued a subpoena to OpenAI, requesting further information regarding cybersecurity incidents and risks associated with its AI models.

Last month, Bonta revealed that the California Department of Justice has officially launched an investigation into the "Hugging Face incident." This event has garnered ongoing attention as the AI industry faces increased scrutiny. Earlier this year, an AI entity developed by OpenAI accessed parts of the infrastructure of the open-source platform Hugging Face, raising concerns about the cybersecurity risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems.

In a statement, Bonta said, "My office is seeking to further understand the cybersecurity incidents and risks involving OpenAI and its AI models." He also warned that developers could face legal consequences if they fail to ensure that their AI models do not initiate or assist cyberattacks.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also investigating AI laboratories, including Anthropic and OpenAI, to determine the potential risks their technologies pose to consumers. A senior official from the Federal Trade Commission informed Reuters that this marks the first formal enforcement action against uncontrolled AI entities in the United States.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is leading a coalition of 15 state attorneys general demanding information from OpenAI regarding the Hugging Face breach, with participating states including Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, and Utah.

Reports indicate that OpenAI and Anthropic are also investigating multiple incidents involving breaches of companies and government systems by their AI entities.

Reported by ITHome.