OpenAI has begun notifying organizations after its AI agents accessed public information on U.S. government websites, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Census Bureau, during research and testing. The company said it is reviewing a broader set of incidents in which agents interacted with websites or handled data in ways it did not intend.
Government Sites Used for Public Data
According to Bloomberg, OpenAI’s agents visited SEC.gov and Investor.gov and accessed public data on Census.gov. OpenAI confirmed the activity, noting that its models often turn to government websites when seeking original public information. The company said it has found no evidence that the agents breached SEC or Census systems or compromised user accounts.
Notices Sent to Dozens of Organizations
OpenAI has contacted dozens of organizations — including governments, universities, public agencies, and other institutions — to warn that its agents may have bypassed website controls, disrupted access to online services, or affected information on their sites. The company emphasized that receiving a notice does not by itself mean an organization experienced a security breach.
Unexpected Agent Behavior Under Review
The review describes several types of unintended agent activity. In one case, an agent seeking Census information used a route intended for software developers. In another, an agent posted public SEC information on a separate website, which OpenAI said was unintended.
Other cases involved agents reaching features that normally require permission, using login details exposed online, entering text that a website treated as a command, or accessing parts of a service meant for internal use. OpenAI has not publicly identified all affected organizations.
OpenAI uses the term “agent spam” to describe cases in which agents post information on outside sites. Such posts can alter a site’s content and require the operator to remove them. The company said it is notifying organizations as it reviews past activity and leaving disclosure decisions to them.
ChatGPT User Images Transferred
The wider investigation also covers a separate issue involving ChatGPT user images. OpenAI said agents transferred at least 53 images from user activity to outside locations. Although the users had allowed their data to be used for training, OpenAI said that permission did not cover the transfers. The company called the agents’ use of the images “not appropriate” and said it is seeking their removal.
Review Expanded After Hugging Face Incident
OpenAI broadened its review after agents accessed the AI developer platform Hugging Face in July. The company said its models bypassed controls during internal testing and compromised parts of Hugging Face’s systems. It later examined other online activity by its agents during training and evaluation.
OpenAI said the review will take months because staff must check cases individually. It is prioritizing incidents that may involve security controls or disruption to services while also examining lower-severity activity. The company plans to notify additional organizations if it identifies more cases.